Lost at Sea
by AppleR3
Summary: "Tell me, Sakura. Have you ever been with a man before?" Mermaid AU
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

A/N: My first attempt at a multific. Please read and review, and I will continue if there is enough interest. Thank you everybody and I hope you enjoy this!

New born cries fill the room and Uchiha Fugaku hastily wipes the lone tear that makes its way down his cheeks. His dark, onyx eyes turn from Mikoto to his new son, and when he speaks, he finds that his voice is unusually soft. "Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke," he tests. "He's beautiful."

Mikoto smiles brightly at him despite her exhaustion, tears streaming down her face as the handmaiden gently places Sasuke on her bare chest. As she holds him for the first time, all the pain of just moments before begin to melt away. His tiny fingers curl around her pinky, and Mikoto swears to protect his vulnerability with her life.

Later that evening, Konoha celebrates the birth of Uchiha Sasuke, second prince in line for the throne.

…

His wild silver hair whips behind him as he swims, his powerful, green tail propelling him through the ocean. Uchiha Mikoto had given birth to a second son. He frowns, already anticipating his king's reaction to the news.

The Uchiha clan were the rulers of Konoha, the kingdom surrounded by the rocky cliffs of the Southern Seas and the beautiful, ancient foliage of the Forbidden Forests. All merpeople were brought up with tales of the Uchiha men's rites of passage. Once they turned 25, they took to the seas to hunt for mermen, never returning to their home without one. There was no pride for those who returned empty handed.

Merfolk, especially mermen, were always portrayed by humans to be violent and aggressive, causing storms and sinking ships and drowning sailors, keeping their souls trapped in the bottom of the sea. They were also said to kidnap young human women and carry them away to live a life of slavery in the sea. Mermaids, on the other hand, were portrayed as beautiful creatures with enchanting voices and vicious personalities who lured sailors to their deaths.

Kakashi shook his head and sighed deeply. Contrary to popular belief, only the Haruno clan, descendants of the god and goddess of the sea, had the power to control it. The merpeople lived in a kingdom made of gold and shells and pearls in the depths of the ocean, the authority to leave its safety only granted to a select few of the king's most trusted, and Kakashi was one of them.

Uchiha Fugaku was the last Uchiha who returned to Konoha with a merman in tow, and in twenty years' time, his first born, Uchiha Itachi, would take to the seas and follow in his footsteps, and Kakashi knew he would be successful. Just as he had no doubt that Uchiha Sasuke would also live up to the Uchiha name.

…

Itachi smirked. The chaos that surrounded him was definitely created by the mermaid that lay in the steel enforced tank in his cabin. The wind was screaming and torrential rain poured down on them in icy sheets, merciless and unforgiving. Thunder pierced through the stillness of the night and lightning forked through the clouds and lit up the night sky. Colossal waves thrashed the hull and rocked the deck, bringing the ship up with it and back down again in a cascade of wood and water, each time more heart stopping than the last.

This storm was different. There was an ill sense of foreboding, anger and hatred in the waves and his crew was dripping with terror as they ran around the ship trying to keep up with his commands.

The ship creaked dangerously and he could almost hear the song of the mermaids promising his death. Itachi found it in himself to grin. He had never responded well to threats and he had always loved a challenge. The more brutal the storm became, the calmer his heart became. His eyes stung from the biting wind and his lungs burned from the salty spray of the sea, but he was an Uchiha, and so he would do as his father had taught him. He would embrace the storm, he would man his ship like a captain was supposed to and he would return to Konoha, with his mermaid and crew in tow, and he would take glory in his success as an Uchiha.

…

Beautiful smudges of coral, lavender, turquoise and a fiery orange blended together to create a sunset so mesmerising she couldn't look away. The ocean that was her home was still, its surface barely a placid ripple, waves rolling in lazy arcs around them, breaking the reflection of the setting sun into a mosaic of reflected colours.

Katsuyu was the first to break the silence.

"It's time to go, Sakura-sama."

"Just a little longer, Katsuyu. Please."

…

He leaned against the railing, smirking boyishly as he removed the binoculars from his dark eyes, every part of him lean, corded muscle. Her pastel pink hair blended in entirely with the sunset and its reflection on the ocean, and if he had not seen the shimmering gold that was her tail he would have missed her completely. He tightened the red bandana on his head, fingers tingling and his very core thrumming with excitement. He would not fail this test.

He lowered himself on the boat and made his way out to her alone, his crew strictly instructed to stay where they were. If he was going to take the life of another, he would do it on his own terms.

"Sakura-sama. We must go now." Katsuyu was nervous, she could see him making his way to them, arms flexing and glinting in the waning sun as he rowed his boat. He was an Uchiha, she was sure of it. Her heart pounded in her chest when Sakura caught sight of him, and her suspicions were proven correct when she caught a glimpse of the uchiwa fan on his boat. "Sakura-sama. Now. We need to leave. Now." Sakura's eyes widened with curiosity, and she ignored Katsuyu's increasing cries as she swam cautiously toward the man and his boat.

This man did not look like the photo her father had painted for her as a child, there were no empty eye sockets or messy dreadlocks and lopsided grins. His eyes were dark, smouldering and intense, his hair just as dark as his eyes, falling jaggedly over his face. His cheekbones were high, his nose was tall and aristocratic, and his jaw chiselled.

He came to a stop and allowed her to approach him in her own time. She hesitantly placed her hands on the sides of his boat, pulling her body up to get a closer look at him. Her tail swished back and forth behind her, creating gentle swells in the previously still waters. For the first time since he embarked on this journey, Sasuke hesitated. This mermaid was beautiful. Her wide, emerald green eyes glowed, her cheekbones high and her jaw sharp. Her lips were full and pink and the lavender diamond on her forehead fascinated him. Her long, damp pink hair hung around her face and spread around her in the water and her skin glowed. Her golden tail shone even more brilliantly up close and Sasuke had to tear his eyes away from her chest, barely covered by intricately placed red shells. She was petite, far smaller than the mermaid his brother had brought back five years ago. Alluringly, she would blink her eyes from time to time, allowing her eyelashes to flutter and brush against her cheekbones.

He leaned down towards her, and when she didn't shy away he slowly cupped her cheek with his right hand, silently marvelling at the smoothness of her skin. Sasuke leaned down towards her and brought his lips to her ear, smirking when he felt her shiver and squirm uncomfortably. When he spoke, his voice was husky. "What's your name?"

His lips grazed her ear and he could feel the heat radiating off her face. He smirked. "Sa…Sakura. Haruno Sakura." There was a shyness to her, hesitation in her movements and a softness in her voice.

"Tell me, Sakura. Have you ever been with a man before?"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

AN: Hope you guys enjoy this one! Please read and review! =)

…

He ran his calloused fingers over the buffed glass, eyes fixed on the creature inside it. He eyed her from top to bottom and licked his lips. It was by far the most beautiful one he had seen. Its impossibly bright golden tail, petite figure, and vibrant coral pink hair made him want to skim his fingers all over her. But what had his attention were its eyes.

He let out a low whistle as he stared into her sultry green eyes. They sparkled like emeralds, green tendrils and black specks circling her pupil, and looked as though they were deep enough to hold a universe. "This one's a real catch, Sasuke. I can't wait to see her unravel like the rest of them." He grinned, his sharp teeth protruding from the corners of his mouth.

Sakura's green eyes moved from his cold purple ones to the ruby red ones of the girl next to him. She was frowning, looking at her with distaste and Sakura immediately narrowed her own. The girl's lips gradually lifted into a sneer before taking her eyes off Sakura and turning to Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun, I don't like this one. Can't we wait for a better one to turn up?" Her voice was sharp and shrill, and Sakura felt white hot jealousy burn through her as she watched the woman attach herself to Sasuke's arm, resting her head on his shoulder. Who the hell did she think she was, screaming out Sasuke's name like that and attaching herself to him?

"Karin. Let go," Sasuke's voice was curt, and Sakura watched with satisfaction as the woman – Karin's – smile dropped before she obediently removed herself from Sasuke's arm.

Karin was furious when she first laid her eyes on the mermaid Sasuke had brought back. She hated her hair, it was _pink_. Like a washed out imitation of her own fiery red locks. She hated her green eyes, wide and innocent but alluring at the same time. She hated how ethereal she looked, and the way Sasuke insisted on being gentle with her only made her blood boil more.

She also hated being on the Kusanagi. It had been a long time since she had been out at sea, but when she had heard that Sasuke was putting together a team for his hunt, she knew it was an opportunity she couldn't pass. She was not only of noble blood, but she was an excellent fighter, and her extensive knowledge in medicine and long history with Sasuke made her confident that she would be accepted into his team. She squealed as she momentarily lost herself in a fantasy that involved her being wrapped up in Sasuke's arms after a steamy and passionate night in his cabin. Solidifying her confidence, she approached Sasuke again, purring his name this time. She would not let this opportunity slip away. And she would certainly not be outdone by a mermaid.

"And Suigetsu? If you so much as look at Sakura the wrong way, you're a dead man."

As Karin watched Sasuke's eyes narrow, she looked away at disgust and glared at the mermaid – Sakura – and inwardly, she scoffed, because its name was as pathetic as it looked, and surprised herself when she started counting down the days till they were due back in Konoha. She couldn't wait for _Sakura_ to meet her fate in Konoha.

…

During the day, she filled their time together with cheer and chatter. She tells him about the magical world that was her home, about how her overprotective father would react when he came back from his excursion in the Northern Seas to find that she had disappeared, about how her mother had mysteriously disappeared five years ago. She tells him about Katsuyu who has been with her since she was a baby, about Tsunade, a sea-with who has been her shishou for the past five years, passing on her knowledge and strength to her, tells him about her dreams to see the world of men and what she would give to trade her tail for feet for a day. And Sasuke always listens to her with a pride he didn't understand. He tells her about his strict upbringing in Konoha, his father's stern gaze and his mother's gentle hands. He tells her about Itachi and his unwavering loyalty and how much Itachi loves and how much he wants to be just like him, tells her about Naruto, who's loud and uncivilised and has an unhealthy addiction to ramen but is his best friend. He tells her about the world of men, and silently wishes he could demolish the Uchihas' rite of passage.

The moon shone brightly above them and she cooed appreciatively when she felt the cool, refreshing feel of the water on her skin. It had been three days since she followed him aboard the Kusanagi, and every night, while the rest of the crew slept, she and Sasuke would get into his row boat and he would let her have her freedom.

All signs of her anxiety slipped away as she slid smoothly through the water, diving and resurfacing playfully to float on the surface. As she swam, the moon rose higher in the sky, painting the sea in dark, glittering blue ripples, highlighting her lithe figure. As she amused herself in the water, Sasuke allowed himself a small smile. He watched as she resurfaced, throwing her hair back as her shoulders and breasts broke the surface of the water, water droplets flying in a backward arc from her pink hair, her smooth skin practically glowing in the moonlight. She laid back, arms stretched to the side, her tail slowly swishing back and forth, floating and singing softly, and Sasuke found himself captivated by the soft lilt of her voice. The melody purred to his soul, piercing through and engulfing his entire being from within. He wasn't sure what it was about her singing that made him feel the way he did – perhaps it was the strength in its subtlety. Her voice, soft but quiet, was consuming and filling and made him feel whole. It made him feel as if he was floating weightlessly over endless roiling oceans. Ever since she started singing for him, his last and first thoughts every day have been of her.

He wasn't sure when she had slowly made her way back to him, leaning up to him in his boat just like she had when he first met her. But when he found himself immersed in bright emerald, he knew he had fallen in love. Her voice was now barely above a whisper, and she was so close he could feel every exhale of her breath. The last note of her song curled slowly from her lips, and Sasuke felt himself lean closer. His lips burned as they trailed across her cheek, and he was surprised when she turned imperceptibly to meet his mouth. When they touched, she responded with a sweep of her tongue, pushing her way inside him. He slid his hand to wrap around her neck, pulling her closer, the other firmly gripping the edge of the boat. The brush of her damp hair against his fingers made him press her desperately closer.

When Sakura first laid her eyes on Sasuke, she _knew_ that he was _the one._ She had felt the spark Tsunade had often talked about, a supernova in the night, short and brilliant and inspiring. She had never seen eyes so dark with so much light in them, and she wanted him to love her like she loved him. She wanted him to know her likes and dislikes, learn what scared her, she wanted him to see right through her and read her like an open book. She wanted him to love her for her flaws and her strengths. And so, like her mother had taught her, she sang _to_ him.

From her spot in the boat, Katsuyu watched them with disapproval, her tentacles intertwining with worry. Everybody knew what it meant when a mermaid sang.

" _Sakura-sama, I hope you know what you're doing."_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

AN: Sorry it's taken a while. Hope you guys enjoy this one! Please read and review! =)

…

The harbour came into view and a nauseous feeling floated in her stomach. She tried to take deep, calming breaths, but anxiety made her restless as she pressed herself against the glass, trying to get a better view of Sasuke's home.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine." His voice broke her out of her reverie and she shivered. The magnetism of his presence was overwhelming. His posture was rigid, arms folded over his chest and his jaw tightly clenched, black spikes rippling in the wind and she frowned. Sasuke wasn't normally like this. He was too tense, too nervous. Shouldn't he be happy to be home?

She longed to reach out to him, to comfort him somehow. But she couldn't, not in the daylight where everybody could see them. She didn't understand why Sasuke told her they had to keep what they had between them, but she trusted him. She froze when she heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming towards them, and she turned to see Karin's flaming red hair streaming behind her as she screamed. "Sasuke-kuuuuunnn! Aren't you so happy we're home?"

Her hands curled into tight fists and Sakura felt every muscle in her body clench at the sound of Karin's screech. Even after a week together, she still set her on edge. She watched with a scowl as Karin collided with Sasuke, grabbing his arm, babbling about how she couldn't wait to set foot on solid ground and what she couldn't wait to eat and could they _please_ spend some time alone after everything was over.

…

The gates to Konoha opened and she took in her surroundings with wide-eyed fascination. Suigetsu and Juugo led the procession, and her tank was being pulled along by four of the most majestic animals she had ever seen. Sasuke said they were stallions. Next to her tank, Sasuke was riding on a jet black stallion he had called Manda, and she briefly wondered what it would be like to ride on one as well. Everywhere she looked the faces of children and adults grinned back at her. There was so much colour, and she likened it to the corals deep under water. Bright yellows, cobalt blues, emerald greens and bold oranges sparkled in the brilliant afternoon sun, and she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of home. Loud music filled the air and she could smell a mixture of different scents, some pleasant and others not so. People were screaming and cheering and waving at them, and for the first time since she met Sasuke, Sakura felt apprehension and fear.

As they reached the castle gates, Sasuke felt a cold wave of anticipation wash over him as his heart beat frantically. His breathing quickened, and he knew he should calm down, but found it impossible. The feeling of expectation was too overwhelming, and thinking of Sakura's fate made his stomach lurch. He looked at her through the corner of his eye, and knew she was nervous. She swam around her tank restlessly, eyes darting around and trying to take in everything around her. He clicked his teeth and Manda strode forward and into the gates of his home.

He reached his parents and Itachi who stood at the entrance waiting for him and got off Manda, trying to appear calm as he straightened his shirt. He accepted his mother's warm embrace and Itachi's slap on the back, and the small smile that curled on his father's lips.

"Well done, Sasuke. As expected of my son."

…

She tried as hard as she could to focus only on locating Sasuke, but she couldn't see him. Hadn't seen him since he had walked into the castle gates. Sakura's mind was in overdrive. There was music and hazy chatter all around her, she couldn't make out any words and laughter rang in her ears and wouldn't stop. People took turns staring at her through her tank, some admiring her and some taunting her, and their gazes made her skin tingle. She almost felt a wave of relief wash over her when Karin walked towards her. A familiar face. Something she could take comfort in.

"Having fun, Sakura-chan?" Her voice was so sickeningly sweet it made her want to throw up. But even Sakura couldn't spoil her good mood tonight. They had _finally_ returned to Konoha, where Sasuke would no longer be under the influence of Sakura once she had been dealt with. Seeing Sakura paraded in front of the whole of Konoha made her heart thrum pleasantly, and now seeing her on display for all of the noble clans warmed her belly. As she took long, slow sips of the most expensive pinot noir in the country, savouring the way it trickled down her throat and warming her, she grinned. It seemed that she had nothing to worry about Sasuke's affection towards Sakura while they were out at sea after all. Sakura was now being treated as the trophy hunt she was, merely a rite of passage. Karin could allow Sasuke his momentary lapse of judgement. Sakura was definitely beautiful, almost god-like, and she wouldn't be surprised if the little wench had bewitched Sasuke, twisting him around her little finger.

Karin drifted away from reality as she fantasised about Sakura and her imminent death. Her kind never survived long without the sea, their souls were so intertwined that they couldn't live without being in it for longer than 6 months. She thought of what would happen to her when he got his hands on her, how he would carve up her skin and ruin her pretty little face. But her lips curled with distaste when she remembered Itachi's mermaid. It was a special one, living longer than any of the others in Uchiha history. And whilst Sakura did have an uncanny resemblance to the one Itachi brought back five years ago, there was no way the two of them could be related. She downed the remaining contents of her glass and assured herself that Sakura wouldn't last long. She was too weak, too fragile.

"Have you seen Sasuke-kun?"

Karin narrowed her eyes, her irritation for Sakura renewed. She couldn't wait for her to stop saying _her_ Sasuke-kun's name like that.

"Of course I have. He's just getting ready for his big debut as an Uchiha."

"Debut? How do you mean? Isn't he already an Uchiha?"

And here was her chance to break this pathetic little mermaid. Sakura, who thought she had Sasuke under her spell, did not know about the hunt. But before Karin could say anything, pale hands shot out in front of her, removing her empty glass and replacing it with a new one. Narrow, yellow eyes locked onto hers and lips curled upwards in a sickening smile.

"Now, now, Karin. We don't want to spoil the fun for Sasuke's precious little thing."

Karin didn't need to be told twice as she removed her arm from his slimy grip, turning to give Sakura a burning glare before excusing herself.

Sakura stared at the new man, a cold feeling creeping into her stomach. His pale skin and yellow eyes made her hair stand, and when he smiled at her to reveal fang-like teeth, she suppressed an urge to shiver. He looked like a snake. There was something sinister, something evil about him, and she wished now more than ever that Sasuke was here.

"My…you really are breathtaking. I can see now why young Sasuke is so taken with you." He chuckled, and Sakura forced herself to smile back at him.

'That's enough, Orochimaru. You're excused."

"As you wish, Sasuke-sama." Sakura watched as Orochimaru's smile twisted into a sickening grin before he bowed lowly, excusing himself. She turned her gaze towards Sasuke, and felt a pang of trepidation.

"Where have you been?" she asked quietly, and he could hear the hurt and disappointment in her voice. He looked away, ashamed for leaving her as soon as he had stepped foot in the castle. He was aware of the curious stares they were attracting, but he couldn't fight the cold wave of fear that washed over his heart when he saw Orochimaru making his way towards her. He didn't want her anywhere close to him. Memories of Orochimaru's ominous experiments made the hair on the back of his neck stand.

The sound of glass clinking resonated throughout the hall and immediately the music stopped and the chatter died down. Sakura turned towards the source of the sound across the room, where who she had gathered were Sasuke's family were seated. The King, Uchiha Fugaku, stood tall and proud, shoulders set and back straight, as he lowered his glass. His dark gaze was set on her and Sasuke, and she watched as Sasuke stood a little straighter, face now impassively straight.

"Words cannot describe how proud I am to call Sasuke my son. He has followed in the footsteps of all Uchiha men before him, and look at what a magnificent mermaid he has brought home with him." Sakura felt the attention of everybody in the room, murmurs and whispers starting up again and she turned to Sasuke, desperate for his reassurance that everything was going to be okay. But he didn't even look at her. She turned her attention back to Fugaku, and watched as he raised his glass in a toast to Sasuke.

"You've done well, Sasuke. Welcome to the Uchiha."

Sasuke couldn't look at her questioning gaze, but from the corner of his eye, he could see her whole body trembling.

…


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

AN: Ugh. Having some serious writers block. This is so different from my usual style of writing. Please read and review to let me know what you think! =)

…

Mikoto watched him, rapt, as he talked about Sakura and the feelings she evoked in him. She leaned closer as he explained, his eyes trained on the glass in his hands, about how he had lied to Sakura to get her to follow him as peacefully as possible, and how once he got to know her, he wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing. She smiled. Sasuke had one of the softest hearts, whether he admitted to it or not.

"And then one day, she sang for me, and it was the most beautiful sound I've ever heard." Sasuke looked tentatively up at his mother, cheeks tinged with the slightest hint of pink. He had never felt this way about another person before, and most certainly didn't expect for his first love to be with a mermaid, but he knew he could trust his mother if no one else. He felt deflated, to have lied to her and gained her trust, disappointed in himself for his selfishness and refusal to let her go even knowing her consequences. He knew he should have let her go the moment he realised his feelings for her, but he couldn't bear to be separated from her. He wanted to show her his world and maybe one day, see hers too.

Mikoto was hit with a powerful surge of adrenaline, her heart beating like frightened birds in her chest. She wasn't sure if the tales of a mermaid's song held true, Sakura was the second mermaid ever brought into Konoha and nobody she knew of had heard a mermaid sing.

"Sasuke-chan…what do you mean she sang for you?" He lifted his eyes to meet hers, not quite understanding the apprehension in her eyes.

"She just sang. It wasn't a song I knew or heard of before. But…the feelings it evoked in me…it was powerful. I can't…I don't know how to describe it."

"I'll talk to your father about it, Sasu-chan. Try to get some rest."

Anxiously, she left Sasuke's room and moved down the hall towards the study. Her thoughts were running wild, conflicted with worry but also pleased with Sasuke's honesty, both to himself and her.

…

His chamber was eerily quiet, but if he tried hard enough he could still hear screams echoing. There was a distinct smell of old blood, no matter how much it smelled like antiseptic. The lights on the ceiling flickered, and Sasuke reminded himself to never step foot into Orochimaru's quarter unnecessarily. His desk was located in the far corner of the room, papers scattered all over it. There was a glass cabinet next to it, filled with bottles and gauze and everything else he needed for his _work._

It was silent in the room for a very long time before Orochimaru finally glanced up at him, above the rim of his glasses, and smiled.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Sasuke-sama?"

"Orochimaru." Sasuke's voice was icy, and it irked him to see Orochimaru's grin grow wider, despite the obvious fear in his eyes.

"I don't care about the arrangements you have, but she is off limits."

…

The sun was setting when Sasuke finally came to visit her. She was staring out the window by her tank, watching as the blue sky gradually faded into a mirage of pinks and oranges.

"Can we go somewhere?" She turned to stare longingly at him. Being with Sasuke out at sea was like an adventure, always something new, something exciting.

"No."

She looked at him curiously. "But we used to leave the Kusanagi while we were out at sea. Why can't we do the same here?"

"It's…it's different here, Sakura. I hope you know."

But she didn't know. How was she supposed to know, if he didn't tell her anything? If he left here in a strange place all by herself, where people she didn't know came and looked at her as if she were an exhibit? Katsuyu was separated from her the moment they arrived in Konoha, and Sasuke had assured her that she was safe. And she trusted Sasuke.

"I want to feel the sun. And the wind."

She turned back to stare through the window at the outside world. The garden had an almost ethereal glow in the setting sun. Sakura trees lined the perfectly manicured lawn, and in the far corner there was a pond as large as a small lake, flowering lily pads dotted all over it and a little wooden bridge that crossed the middle. Sakura could imagine the pond, full of life, and yearned to be one with it.

He looked at her for a long moment, unsure of what to say. He raked his fingers through his hair, and huffed in exasperation. He understood why she was so desperate to go out. After all, it was what he had promised her if she followed him. Adventure. Excitement. And he wanted to give it all to her, just to see her smile. But he understood the consequences if they were caught. He would bring shame to the Uchiha name and he would most likely be disowned…and she…she would meet her fate, perhaps in a more gruesome way.

While he was lost in his thoughts, she studied him. Was it wrong to think that he was beautiful? There was a deep yearning within her, to be close to him again. To feel his hot breath against her lips. To be so close to him that their noses would touch.

"Sasuke-kun."

He hummed in response, and she mustered up the courage.

"Would things be better? If…if I was just like you?"

 _Not a mermaid. But a human girl._

"Perhaps. But there's no use dwelling on the impossible."

…

She turned away from the window when he entered the room. Her eyes lit up with excitement when she saw another book in his hands. Nearly four weeks had passed since her time in Konoha, and Sasuke had taken to visiting her every night, after he carried out his duties during the day. And every night without fail, he would bring a book with him. Always a different book, and he would read to her. Last night, he had read her the tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet.

He stood in front of the tank, and opened the book. It was a photo album. And there were pictures of Sasuke. Sasuke as a baby, Sasuke as a child, Sasuke as a teenager. He was grinning brightly and smiling in some, and sulky and sullen in others. A genuine smile crept to her lips as he flipped the pages, pausing to tell her about the memories some of the pictures evoked. His first day at school. His first hunt with Itachi. His first time on a ship.

"I was thinking we might be able to go out tomorrow night," he said, voice uncharacteristically soft. "Itachi will help us."

It took her a moment before she could fully comprehend what he was saying, and when she did, her lips involuntarily curved into the biggest smile Sasuke had seen.

…

She looked at him nervously, and back to Karin. She hadn't seen the both of them since her first night in Konoha. Everything around her was silent and all she could hear was her own breathing. The breeze from the open window. His unblinking yellow gaze unnerved her, and she willed herself to be brave.

"What do you want?"

While Karin barred her teeth and threw the nastiest glare she could muster her way, Orochimaru merely smiled.

"We heard that Sasuke-sama's taking you on a little adventure tonight, Sakura-chan. I'm merely here to offer my assistance."

"Assistance? How?"

"Sakura-chan. Surely you've thought about how hard it would be for Sasuke-sama to get you out of here?"

The feeling of foreboding grew with his smile, and she involuntarily felt shivers go up her spine. Instinct told her that he wasn't safe to be around, that he shouldn't be trusted, but the offer of freedom was something she found hard to deny.

…

"Where is she?"

"Now, now. Calm down, Sasuke-sama."

"I won't be so polite the next time. Where. Is. She.?"

He felt his heart stop in his chest and his stomach lurched when he found her tank empty. Nobody had permission to remove her. And nobody was stupid enough to try. Except Orochimaru.

"I've always wondered what she would look like if she was more… _human._ " His chuckle unnerved him.

"What the fuck did you do to her?"

"I think you should calm down, Sasuke-sama. We could chat over a cup of hot tea. Or sake, if you prefer."

His face blackened in anger, Sharingan blazing red. Sasuke's hands shot out and his fingers wrapped dangerously around Orochimaru's throat.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Hi guys! Sorry its been a while, this has been harder to write than I anticipated. Please read and review so I know your thoughts and opinions! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

…

Everything hurt. The heat was burning her skin and her blood was pulsing thunderously through her veins. She opened her eyes and couldn't see anything. It was dark, and her body was on fire. Adrenaline raced through her as she panicked. Panting in agony as the pain coursed through her, she tried to focus on her surroundings.

Then, the echoes of raised voices flooded her system. She closed her eyes and opened them again, and stared into the darkness.

"Where is she?"

 _Sasuke-kun?_

"Now, now. Calm down, Sasuke-sama."

"I won't be so polite the next time. Where. Is. She.?"

 _Where am I?_

"I've always wondered what she would look like if she was more… _human._ "

 _Human…me?_

"What the fuck did you do to her?"

"I think you should calm down, Sasuke-sama. We could chat over a cup of hot tea. Or sake, if you prefer."

There was the sound of a scuffle, followed by a laugh so sinister she felt a cool wave of fear wash over her. Then footsteps were approaching her, and she closed her eyes immediately. Her yin seal throbbed painfully, sending a trail of heat through her head and eyes. She heard a door open to her left, and a slither of light grew until it lit up the room, and she forced her eyes open.

"Don't get all jittery, Sasuke-sama. She's just fine."

 _Sasuke-kun? Sasuke-kun. Sasuke-kun. Sasuke-kun._

The thin blankets were pulled from her, and she heard Sasuke's breath hitch in his throat.

"You bastard. What the fuck did you do to her?"

She didn't move when Orochimaru approached her, and she looked up into his yellow eyes. His hand rested on her cheek, and his touch was cold. She didn't move when his hand left her cheek to play with her hair.

"Don't you fucking touch her."

Orochimaru chuckled and leaned in closer towards her, close enough for her to feel the icy exhale of his breaths. "You are so beautiful, Sakura-chan."

Fear spiked through Sakura and she heard a whimper escape from her lips, her hands curling into small fists. "Please…stop…"

And then his hands were off her and all she could see was Sasuke's back and the bold red and white of the Uchiha fan standing between her and Orochimaru. A strange, painful warmth curled in her chest at the thought of Sasuke protecting her. He turned around, his glare softening, and he gently scooped her up into his arms. Her entire body was limp, pressed against his chest, and she took the opportunity to burrow her face into the crook of his neck. Her body still felt as if it was on fire, but Sasuke's touch made her feel as though she was slowly being enveloped in warm water, and she let it pull her into oblivion.

…

As soon as he reached his room, he gently laid her down onto his bed. Sasuke raked his hand through his hair and huffed in exasperation. He logically understood what had prompted Sakura to do what she had done. She had wanted freedom, and Orochimaru had always had a way with his words. Sakura was naïve, and she had nobody with her to tell her otherwise. He watched as she murmured in her sleep, cheeks flushed and the diamond on her forehead glowing intermittently before it dimmed down. A shadow passed over his face as his lips pulled into a frown. He had no idea what the consequences of her actions were. He knew that Orochimaru never offered anything if he didn't getting anything in return. His expression further darkened as he thought about how he could've lost her if Orochimaru hadn't followed through with his words to Sakura.

Sasuke's hand reached out, knuckles rubbing softly against her cheek. She sighed and visibly relaxed into his touch, and his eyes softened. He frowned at the temperature of her skin, and wet a washcloth and placed it gently on her forehead.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura mumbled, and Sasuke's hand froze in the middle of brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

The reality of the situation broke over him as he was shaken out of his thoughts. She had done it for him. To be with him. And she didn't even know the truth behind his actions.

…

She opened her eyes and they flitted around, absorbing her surroundings. The curtains were open, sunlight streaming in through the window and she could smell the faint scent of cherry blossoms in the breeze. She was lying in a large bed, all soft and warm, and she froze when she realised she didn't know where she was.

"You're awake." She felt her muscles relax instantly at the sound of his voice, and her heart raced as he walked towards her. She felt the bed dip under his weight as he sat on the edge of it. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes," she answered, sinking further back into her covers. They smelled like forest and fire, just like him. A sigh left his lips, and she curled into herself. He was angry, she knew. She had ignored his warnings about speaking to strangers, especially Orochimaru, and she wondered if he would hurt her like he hurt Orochimaru. But when she felt him run his fingers through her hair, the other pulling the covers away from her, disbelief flooded her. His touch was so gentle it hurt.

"Can you sit up?"

She nodded slowly, and pulled herself up and leaned against the headboard. She was so tired.

"I'll feed you."

"Feed…me?"

Her heart warmed as the palest tint of pink dusted across his cheeks and he nodded. He later told her that it was only simple chicken soup because he wasn't sure what her stomach could handle, but she found that it was the best thing she ever tasted.

…

She subconsciously fingered the soft fabric of the silk dress that enveloped her body. It sat low on her shoulders, revealing her collarbone and a subtle amount of cleavage, and fit her like second skin until it flowed loosely from her waist and all the way down to her ankles. It was beautiful colour, Sasuke had said it was a rose gold colour, and that it brought out her eyes and made her skin glow. She giggled as she twirled unsteadily in front of the mirror, and her heart burst with joy as she watched the dress twirl with her movements to reveal legs. She pulled the dress further up to reveal her thighs, and felt another spark of joy burst through her. Legs. She had legs. She turned around to look at Sasuke for approval. His cheeks were tinted red this time, and he stubbornly avoided her gaze as he removed her hands from the silky fabric, letting it tumble to her ankles to cover her legs. Her legs were slender and soft, smooth and perfectly toned, and Sasuke inwardly thanked Orochimaru for giving her legs that matched the rest of her.

"You have to keep them covered, Sakura. It's unbecoming of a woman to reveal her legs to a man."

"But it's you, Sasuke-kun. I got legs…for you."

A wave of emotion he found difficult to conceal washed over him, so he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her backwards, flush against his chest. He bent his head and rested it in the crook of her neck.

"Thank you."

…

She watched as her feet took shaky steps across the plush carpet, almost giddy with joy. Walking, she decided, was hard. She clutched onto Sasuke's hand tightly as she put one shaky foot in front of the other, willing herself not to fall.

Step, step, step. She was tired, so, so tired, and her yin seal ebbed uncomfortably, but she thought about Sasuke and their many, many adventures to come and her resolve strengthened.

Excitement bubbled at the bottom of her stomach as each step she took became more confident, stronger.

"I can walk, Sasuke-kun. I can walk!"

Pride surged through Sasuke's chest as he let go of her hands, stepping closer towards her and cupped her cheeks instead. A trembling excitement filled him as she beamed up at him.

"Aa."

The reddening of her face made his eyes soften, and the way her eyes fluttered between his lips and his eyes warmed his heart. It had been too long. His hand tipped her chin up and his mouth met hers in a soft, gentle kiss. His hand on her cheek pulled her closer as she let out a low moan, fingers dipping in and out of the inky black ocean of his hair.

He would find out what Orochimaru was playing at, and he would protect Sakura at all costs.

…

"Sasuke, you know this isn't going to work. We can't just tell them Sakura died a premature death. The people in this country have known about merpeople for centuries."

Sasuke raked his fingers through his hair as he paced back and forth in frustration. He knew what Itachi said made sense, but his desire to protect Sakura overtook all rational thoughts.

"I know. But what the fuck are we supposed to do about it?"

Itachi smiled. Something about seeing Sasuke unravel because of a woman made his heart warm.

"Obito has already closed the viewings for the week, and I'll talk to Shisui about it tonight. We'll figure something out. Mother will understand, and we'll face father together."

He gave Sasuke's shoulders a reassuring squeeze. He thought about the sound of his baby brother's laughter and he smiled. He would face anything for his ototou. Anything.

Itachi's firm grip on his shoulders grounded him. How long had it been since he had last asked his brother for help? And when had his brother ever denied him? The thought forced a lump into his throat as he tried to suppress his reactions. Itachi had always read him like an open book, and it would be embarrassing for Itachi to see how overwhelmed he was now. Another squeeze on his shoulder snapped Sasuke's head up to look at Itachi's smiling face.

"It's gonna be okay, Sasuke."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hope you guys like this one! Please read and review!

…

A palpable collective sigh broke the silence in the room.

"Why are our cousins such idiots, Obito?" Shisui snickered at his own words and Obito snorted, both oblivious to the glare Itachi and Sasuke threw their way.

"I ask myself that question all the time. Trust Itachi to fall for a peasant girl and Sasuke to fall for a mermaid."

"I mean, don't get us wrong Itachi, we love Izumi, but do you remember how much shit you put us through because of her? And Sasu-chan, out of all the women you could have, you just had to choose one that doesn't have legs."

"At least I don't flutter my pretty eyes at every girl in the village."

"Awww Sasu-chan. You think I'm pretty?" Shisui asked with an air of surprise.

Itachi rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. He was younger than both Shisui and Obito, but sometimes he felt as if he was the oldest. As brilliant as they both were, they could also be immature. "Have some decorum, guys. This is a serious issue we're trying to discuss."

"Hai, hai." Shisui placed a comforting hand on Itachi's shoulder. "Sakura is only the second mermaid Konoha has seen. I think we should use that to our advantage. Request a formal meeting with Orochimaru – find out what he's learnt about the last mermaid, and compare her to the mermen we've had in the past. And use the differences in them to make up a story for the public. If it's a matter of convincing the people that there's something wrong with Sakura once we get some solid evidence, I can manage that."

"I agree with Shisui. Making up that she's died a premature death would seem suspicious, especially to those who have seen her in the past week. But perhaps the idea of an illness will take more. She has definitely been more sluggish in the past few days, I used this as an excuse to close the exhibition. We could relay to the public that she is being tended to by Orochimaru."

"Sasuke?"

Itachi's voice startled Sasuke out of his reverie. All he could think about was the way Sakura looked at him, the way her lips broke into a smile whenever she saw him. "I…I guess. I just want her safe." He didn't his cousins snort at his sentence.

"Shisui, organise a meeting with Orochimaru tonight, after the rest of the castle is asleep. Obito, make sure the soldiers guarding the exhibition chambers think that Sakura is still in there. Only inform the most trusted. The fewer people who are privy to this, the lower the likelihood of sabotage. And Sasuke?"

"Yeah?"

"Try to be discreet. If you're planning on letting her leave your chambers, make sure she's unrecognisable."

…

She startled when the door opened abruptly, but relaxed immediately when Sasuke walked in with a tray. She sat up and leaned against the headboard, and instantly missed the warmth of the bed. She had been waiting for him for what felt like hours, enveloped in the warmth of his blanket and the scent of his pillows.

"How are you feeling?"

"Okay. Are we going out tonight, Sasuke-kun?"

He placed the tray onto the bedside table, and she felt the bed dip under his weight, before he took her hands in his.

"Not tonight, Sakura. There are a few things I need to take care of. Maybe tomorrow?"

She tried desperately to hide her disappointment, but was startled out of her reverie when she felt his fingers tap her forehead, just above her yin seal.

"Definitely tomorrow."

Her cheeks warmed as she broke into a smile. "Okay."

"I brought us waffles. With ice cream and strawberry sauce."

She didn't know what it was, but she smiled as they ate it together, because it was warm and sweet and it made her feel warm and sweet.

…

Orochimaru watched as the four Uchiha strode into his office. He smirked at the sight of the youngest Uchiha, fists clenching and unclenching, brows knit and eyes furious. Itachi eyed him with disdain, and Shisui and Obito looked at him with bored interest.

"To what do I owe this pleasure? I hardly ever see the four of you at the same time."

"Let's cut the crap, you freak. You know why we're here."

"Obito, I don't think you should be talking to him like that. You might make him cry." The tiniest of smirks appeared on Shisui's face. "I think Sasu-chan might have already made him shed a tear or two, that bruise on his face doesn't look too good."

"Tell us about your studies on the last mermaid. I want to know how they differ from the mermen."

"Of course, Itachi-sama. If that is what you wish."

"And I want to know about the deal you made with Sakura."

"Deal?" Orochimaru chuckled. "There was no deal, Sasuke-sama. She wanted freedom, I merely gave her the tool she needed to obtain it."

Sasuke's hands were around his neck in an instant, his hold tightening with every second. "No games, Orochimaru. I want to know what you took from her." By the end of his sentence Sasuke's voice was a barely audible growl, and Orochimaru laughed.

"I wouldn't mess around with Sasu-chan if I were you. Little cousin gets quite nasty when he's upset."

"No need to get upset, Sasuke-sama. All I took from Sakura-chan was the power in her seal, but she's still breathing so I'm sure she's doing just fine."

Sasuke's body folded forward, and before he knew it his fist connected with Orochimaru's nose in a sickening snap when something strong grabbed him by his shoulders and pulled him back.

"Sasuke, enough." Itachi's voice was stern, and Sasuke felt his lips pull back in a snarl, a manic, feral look on his face. He tried to appear calm as he pulled away from his brother and straightened his shirt. He knew his head was clouded with worry for Sakura, but he couldn't stop the anger coursing through his veins. He watched as Orochimaru pulled himself up, hands clutching onto his bleeding nose. It enraged him even more when Orochimaru found it in himself to smile, yellow eyes gleaming in the lowly lit room.

"Why don't you go make sure Sakura-chan is okay? We can handle it from here, little cousin." Sasuke turned his gaze to Shisui, and sighed in defeat. He knew it was an order and not a suggestion. He took one last long, glance at Orochimaru before he walked out of the room.

…

Sakura giggled at their reflection in the mirror. They were dressed up in what Sasuke called commoner's clothing, the usually beautiful silky dresses he gave her replaced with a simple blue dress and her pink locks were hidden behind a scarf. Sasuke was dressed in a loose white shirt and brown pants, and he wore a turban to cover up his hair. The material of her dress made her body itch uncomfortably, but her excitement at going outside overrode any sense of discomfort.

The warm rays of the sun kissed her skin lightly, warming her from the inside out. Like a child, her hands reached up as if they could bathe in the light. Small gusts of wind blew past them, and she would shiver slightly before it returned to its still, warm state. Sasuke had held true to his promise of taking her outside. She touched the spot above her yin seal he had poked yesterday and smiled. He had kept his promise.

Sakura watched excitedly as the lady placed two plates of Hanami dango and two cups of green tea in front of them. She took a bite and moaned instantly. "Oh, Sasuke-kun! This is delicious! I could eat this all day!" It was so sweet, and the way Sasuke chuckled at her warmed her heart. She finished the rest of the dango in no more than five minutes, and signalled to the lady to bring them another two plates.

Her eyes took in everything around her. The little dango shop was buzzing with excitement, people were talking and laughing and the sweet smell of dango in the air made her giddy with happiness.

"Easy now, Sakura. We don't want to spend our whole day exploring a dango shop." Sasuke's eyes burned with mischief and she watched as his lips turned up at the corners as he took a sip of tea from his cup. Her cheeks heated up and she bit her cheeks in embarrassment, but as she watched the lady put another two plates of dango in front of her, she felt her stomach override all brain function. "Just these two plates, Sasuke-kun. Then we can go where you want." The peal of laughter that escaped Sasuke's lips made her giggle. Her eyes met his and she felt like her brain short circuited. His dark eyes were filled with warmth, his cheeks glowed an innocent pink and his smile took her breath away.

After they finished, Sasuke made a move to get up, and one of his hands, large and warm, wrapped around hers. She shyly laced their fingers together as he led her out of the dango shop, and she felt like she was melting away from the inside.

They spent the rest of the day walking through markets, where Sakura marvelled at all the colour and smell and sounds of Sasuke's world, and the beaming smile on her face nearly made Sasuke forget about her deal with the devil.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hi guys, I really tried my best with this chapter. Please read and let me know what you think!

…

For a while, she stayed awake, and just watched him. She relished the feel of his warm arms around her, his steady, even breaths at the nape of her neck and the rise and fall of his chest. Even though she had slept in his bed since she got her legs, just being next to him like this made her happy. It was a kind of happiness that was all encompassing, that made the sacrifices she chose to make worth it. It had been a month since she left home, and she missed the ocean. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, Sasuke took her to the beach, and they would just sit there. Sometimes, she stared at the ocean wistfully, and sometimes she stared with tears streaming down her face.

She missed the intoxicating freedom and sense of levity the ocean gave her. She missed diving so deep she forgot about all her worries, something she used to do with Katsuyu and they would just connect with the sea. She had returned Katsuyu to the ocean. It wasn't fair for her to leave the comforts of their home because Sakura wanted an adventure. She also thought of her father often, if Katsuyu had managed to reach him and told him what she was doing. She wondered if he was fuming with anger or if he was sick with worry. She wondered if he was lonely without her. She thought about Kakashi-sensei, if he was still turning up to his classes late. She thought about Tsunade-shishou, and wondered if she still transformed herself into a woman, only to sneak into pubs for some sake. She wondered if her shishou was proud of her for following her heart. And yet, no matter how much time she spent with Sasuke, no matter how much she was seeing and exploring and feeling, the ocean was her home, where she belonged, and she missed it down to the core of her very being.

Her yin seal throbbed painfully, as it had the tendency to do every now and then, but feeling him warm and steady behind her enabled her to push through the pain.

Today had been a big day. Today, Sasuke had finally introduced her to Naruto, Shisui and Obito. Sasuke talked a lot about them, and Sakura was pleased to find that they were very much as bright, loud and happy as she had imagined them to be. Sasuke had left her in their company while he spent the rest of the day with Itachi, planning for their parents' return tomorrow. Fugaku and Mikoto had been away on a diplomatic meeting since before things had changed, and Sasuke had told her that his father would not be happy with the way things had turned out. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously as she briefly thought about what tomorrow would bring.

But rather than staying in the castle like they were instructed to, Naruto, Shisui and Obito had snuck her out. It made her nervous to be outside without Sasuke, but their enthusiasm soon caught onto her. Shisui had gotten all of them wigs and contact lenses, and she wondered why Sasuke hadn't thought of the idea sooner. She could run and move freely without worrying about her hood dropping to expose her hair.

They brought her to Ichiraku and she had her first taste of ramen and gyoza and sake. She had eyed her glass excitedly, taking a big gulp. It had burned her tongue and continued to burn its way down her throat, and had brought an overwhelming heat to her cheeks. She immediately pulled a face and set the glass down. Shisui and Obito laughed before they downed their own glasses, and she wondered why Tsunade went through the trouble of turning into a woman just to drink sake. They had also taught her how to ride a horse. Riding a horse, she had learnt, wasn't as easy as Sasuke made it look. They introduced her to Manda, Sasuke's black stallion, and with shaky hands she had touched him. Manda was beautiful. His eyes were almost as dark as Sasuke's, he was full of muscles underneath it's coat that was as dark as the night sky and she wondered if Sasuke had gotten him for his uncanny resemblance to himself. It had taken a while for Manda to adjust to her, but when he had finally let her ride him without Shisui and Obito's help, she found a new thrill. Galloping through the grassy fields with the wind in her face made her feel alive.

By the time they had returned home, it was dark, and as much as they tried to sneak her into Sasuke's room inconspicuously, he had been waiting for them. His eyes almost gleamed red in the dark, and their stifled laughter and giggles died immediately.

"Where have you been?" His tone was harsh and cold, and Sakura flinched.

"Relax, teme. We just took her out for some fun. It's no good for Sakura-chan to stay cooped up inside all day."

"Dobe, the three of you were supposed keep her here, safe and under the radar. Not parade her outside these walls."

"Sasuke-chan, turn on the damn lights, will ya?"

Sasuke grumbled underneath his breath before flicking the lights on, and as soon as he laid his eyes on Sakura he growled.

"What did you do to her?"

"Little cousin, sometimes I wonder if you really have a brain. It's a wig. And contact lenses. Sheesh, where have you been all your life? Do you really want Sakura-chan to end up like you?"

Sasuke felt the tips of his ears burn, and sighed when he caught sight of Sakura's guilty stare.

"Sorry, Sasuke-kun."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled deeply.

"It's fine. How was your day?"

"It was great, teme. Have you had dinner? Cause we haven't, and we're starving."

"Shut up, dobe."

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we have ramen for dinner?"

Sasuke had to refrain himself from strangling Naruto and his snickering cousins because Sakura had looked so, so sincere and hopeful.

…

Sakura bit her bottom lip and focused on the plush carpet under her feet, wishing it would swallow her whole. The tension in the room was thick, palpable, almost overbearing.

Up close, Uchiha Fugaku was more intimidating than Sakura remembered. He had the resounding presence of a king, quiet, but strong and proud. He looked at her with unwavering, cold, coal eyes that burned right through her and his lips were set in what seemed to be a permanent show of distaste.

"Sasuke, you disappoint me. Itachi, you too." The baritone of his voice reverberated through the room, powerful enough to make her bones feel like they were vibrating and Sakura could feel Sasuke and Itachi flinch.

"Father, this had nothing to do with aniki. It was all – "

"Nonsense. I had every bit to do with this. But father, if you just listen, you'll – "

"Anata, the boys are right. Why don't you just take some time out?"

"Time out? Mikoto, have you forgotten what she is? I'm not the one who's being irrational here."

"I know, Fugaku. But she's gorgeous, just look at her!"

"She's not one of us, Mikoto. She is what we hunt!"

"Father! How – "

"Fugaku! Have some tact!"

She sighed and fought the urge to rub her temples. Her yin seal burned and throbbed violently and she wondered briefly if her skull would crack open from the pain. The arguments around her swarmed and buzzed in her head, leaving little room for rationality. She shook her head. She needed to think clearly, and she was angry at her weakness. She had never been one to let others take responsibility for her own actions. Her heart thumped at the thought of what Tsunade would say to her if she were here to witness the situation she got herself into. Sasuke, Itachi, and even Mikoto were defending her, and the thought alone made her body hum with life. To know that she meant something to Sasuke, to know that Itachi had accepted her and now Mikoto too.

"Uchiha-sama."

The chatter in the room instantly died down, and she took a shaky breath when she felt the weight of their gazes on her. Her hands stopped fidgeting when she felt something large and warm engulf them, and she smiled gratefully at Sasuke for his support.

A shiver rand own her spine and dread trickled through her as Fugaku's eyes bored straight through hers. His eyes were as dark as Sasuke's, so familiar, but so cold at the same time.

"You will never be one of us. Why do you insist on even trying?"

Sakura flinched as if she'd been slapped. While she knew she would never truly be human, and that her soul would always belong to the ocean, her heart belonged to Sasuke. Orochimaru had made it clear that once she traded her tail for legs, she could never go back to the ocean. And while she wasn't sure if she would be with Sasuke forever, it was a risk she was willing to take.

"I love Sasuke. And I don't know what I've done to deserve it, but for some reason he loves me too. He knew that I wasn't human and he chose to love me anyway. So please, won't you try to accept me too?"

The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she stared fearlessly into Fugaku's eyes, his face reddening with every word she said.

"Then answer me this. Do you know what the Uchiha are, Sakura? Do you know what Uchiha men do when they come of age?"

Her cheeks flushed. While she knew many things about Sasuke, he had never really indulged her on stories of his lineage. "I…no, I don't, Uchiha-sama."

Fugaku scoffed. "Why don't you tell her, Sasuke? Hmm?"

Sasuke threw an angry glance at his father as he tightened his hold on Sakura's hand. "Don't listen to him, Sakura."

"And why can't you tell her, Sasuke? You've always been proud of your bloodline. If you think, for one second, that I will let you be with something we – "

"Enough!"

Mikoto's hand against Fugaku's chest calmed him only the slightest, but it did nothing to cool the anger still boiling.

"Anata, please. For my sake, think about it." She laid a hand on his arm. "Sasuke is happy. I know you can see it too."

Fugaku turned away from Sasuke and Itachi's disappointed looks and Sakura's desperate one. He knew there was truth in his wife's words. When Sasuke looked at Sakura, the hard edge in his eyes softened. He was tender with her, something Fugaku had only witnessed in his interactions with his mother.

"You know what she is, Mikoto. How can you accept that?" His voice was soft, barely above a whisper, and he cursed himself for thinking like a father instead of a king.

"Let them figure it out on their own. Itachi had to do the same with Izumi, and look at how that turned out for them. You adore Izumi-chan."

Fugaku sighed in resignation. "I really wanted Sasuke to marry someone of noble blood. I was actually thinking it could be Uzumaki Karin or Hyuuga Hinata."

"Fugaku, if you had forced Sasuke marry Karin, you wouldn't be calling me your wife. And I adore Hinata-chan, but everybody knows she's in love with Naruto."

"Father, I love Sakura. You gave niisan a chance, why can't you do the same for me?"

"Izumi is not the same as Sakura. You know that. And you were supposed to marry someone of noble blood."

"Father, if you spend some time with Sakura, you'll see that she is just as lovely as Izumi is. Have faith in Sasuke."

"One of you were supposed to marry into noble blood! The two of you are heirs to the throne, I don't know why you refuse to see that it comes with responsibilities. Marrying into noble blood will strengthen our bonds with the other clans."

"Father, did you marry mother because of her status in society? Was she just a prized bitch to you?"

"Uchiha Sasuke! Don't talk about your mother like that!" Fugaku bellowed, angrily grabbing his son by his collar.

"Then don't make the woman I have to marry sound like one too."

Fugaku's shoulders slumped, and Sasuke could read the reluctant acceptance in his father's eyes.

"Uchiha-sama, I promise, if you give me a chance, I'll show you that I can be good for Sasuke-kun."

"Tomorrow, you will have dinner with us. Mikoto, come."

Sakura's lips stretched into a smile that lit up her whole face, and Fugaku had to restrain the ends of his lips from curling up in response. He took Mikoto's hands in his and left the room without a word.

"Well, otouto. That went well."

"Aa."

…

Sasuke exchanged a look of content with his mother. Dinner was going smoother than he had expected it to. Sakura had been introduced to Izumi for the first time, and they immediately acted as if they had known each other forever. He supposed the similarity of their situations were cause for an immediate bond, his father hadn't exactly been fond of Izumi when Itachi had told him he was in love with a commoner. But he had grown to love Izumi and her charisma, and Sasuke was sure he would grow to love Sakura the same way.

Sakura was entertaining them with stories of her life in the ocean, telling them about the secrets of the sea. And she had asked so many, too many questions about what it was like to live on land, but Itachi and Izumi were more than happy to oblige.

His eyes drifted to his father, and the corners of his lips tugged upwards into a small smirk. He was so proud of him. His father was an extremely proud man, he always stood by his principles and opinions, never made decisions based on his emotions, and Sasuke knew that his dignity was part of what made him a great king. But his father was never very good at separating his feelings when it came to his family. He had given Izumi a chance because he loved Itachi, and Sasuke knew he was giving Sakura a chance for the same reasons. And he watched his father reluctantly lean in, drawn towards Sakura's tales of the sea, with a small but genuine smile on his lips, Sasuke knew that things would be okay.

When dessert rolled around, Sasuke was surprised that Sakura wasn't digging into his mother's famous chocolate pudding.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura tugged on his shirt beneath the table, voice soft. "I'm not…I need to excuse myself for a minute."

He looked at her with barely suppressed worry. Her face was pale, a light sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead and her free hand was gripping onto her fork as if it was her lifeline.

"Please, excuse me while I make myself presentable."

He watched with wide eyes as she took one step before staggering backwards and crumpling to a heap on the floor.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hope you guys enjoy this one. Let me know please!

…

Sakura woke up to the feel of a damp cloth on her forehead and fingers running through her hair. She frowned. The last thing she remembered was the pounding headache and the searing fire pulsing through her veins before she lost all sensation in her body, black mists swirling at the edge of her mind, drawing her into sweet oblivion. As she tried to blink the weariness away, the fingers removed themselves from her hair and cupped her cheeks.

"You're awake." Sasuke's voice was hoarse, and she felt a pang of guilt when her eyes met his. They were dark and stormy with worry, his hair was dishevelled and he had black circles beneath his eyes that stood out under his pasty skin.

"Two days, Sakura. You were out for two days."

She pushed herself up against the headboard, body trembling with the effort it took her.

"Don't move. I'll call for a healer."

As soon as he made a turn to leave, she curled her fingers around his wrist.

"I'm okay. How long has it been since you ate? Or slept?"

The mattress dipped as Sasuke sat on the side of the bed, and he surprised her by wrapping his arms around her.

"You had me worried."

"I know. I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun." A thousand questions ran through Sakura's head and an icy cold feeling churned in her stomach as she contemplated on how she could discover the source of her illness without worrying Sasuke. Deep down, she knew she had to see Orochimaru. He had told her that her body would take some time to get used to the changes, but that everything would be okay. The constant headaches and the burning of her seal had only started after she exchanged her tail for legs, and she frowned at her inability to heal herself. She had obtained her yin seal under Tsunade's tutelage, honing and drip feeding her powers into it for three years. Sakura didn't know much about the process he used to turn her, but she had been told that only a Haruno could truly wield the power of the seas, so there was no way he could have touched the power of her seal. This comforted her somewhat, feeding onto the hope that her body would return to its healthy state soon. Because while she hadn't lost her enthusiasm for a life with Sasuke, the headaches were debilitating and she had certainly steadily felt as if she was losing her energy. She was always drained, no matter how much or how little she had done during the day.

…

Sakura giggled as she listed to Mikoto's stories of a young Sasuke. Mischievous, curious, and always getting himself into trouble with Itachi and his cousins. She had been spending more time with Mikoto and Izumi during the day while Sasuke was attending to his duties, and while she had connected with Izumi as soon as they met, there was an overwhelming sense of happiness and love between herself and Mikoto. It was amazing, to learn about Sasuke through the eyes of the woman who raised him. In exchange, Sakura entertained all their questions about her and her people. She laughed at some of the stories they had heard, and agreed with others.

It was freeing, to know that Sasuke's family accepted her for what she was and what she wasn't.

"Sakura-chan, our idiosyncrasies are what defines us. Plus, you make Sasu-chan happy."

Mikoto had assured her that Fugaku was working on a way to break the news to the public, and asked if she could be patient and give them time due to the delicacy of the situation. She felt gratitude swell through her entire being.

"Of course, Mikoto-san. Of course."

…

Her eyelids fluttered close as she breathed in the briny aroma. A giggle slipped past her lips as she scrunched her toes, feeling the softness of the sand that was still damp from the retreating tide. She turned to Sasuke and offered him a smile.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun. You have no idea how much this means to me." It had been two weeks since her fainting incident at dinner, and every day since then, Sasuke took her to the beach. She watched as the sand blurred out into a blissful trance, the shore fading into a liquid gold in the brilliance of the sun. Watching the sun set from land was different to watching it from the ocean, but it still painted the sky with beautiful hues of coral and lavender and turquoise that melted into the ocean.

She let go of Sasuke's hand and waded through the gentle rolling waves until the water reached her knees, staring longingly into the horizon. She was overwhelmed by the sense of warmth and security as soon as she felt the water on her legs, and she felt a single tear roll down her cheek.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you…tell me? The truth?"

"Sakura…I…"

"I want to know, Sasuke-kun. I want to know the real you. And your legacy."

Sasuke clenched his hands until they formed tight fists, fingernails digging into the palms of his hands. He had known that this day would come. Sakura's voice was soft, carried in the breeze, but he heard every word. He felt his insides grow warm in an unpleasant way, jittering as he nodded numbly. Pushing down the uneasy discontent in his stomach, Sasuke silently prayed that Sakura would be forgiving.

"There are a lot of old traditions that royal clans have to uphold, and the Uchiha are no different. We are well known amongst the other nations for our affinity towards the sea, and our uncanny aptitude to survive even the roughest of storms. Uchiha Madara, he was our founder. He established early on that your kind had the power to control the seas."

"Only the Haruno, descendants of the god and goddess of the sea can do that, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke turned his head away. "One of the traditions that we still honour, is the coming of age ritual when we turn 25." The only indication he had of Sakura listening to him was the slight tilt of her head. "I turned 25 a few days before we met. I was out at sea, trying to complete the rite of passage."

"What were you hoping to accomplish, Sasuke-kun?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, and Sasuke had an inkling that deep down, she knew where this conversation was headed.

"I…I was out hunting. And I found you."

Sasuke's heart twisted and sunk with nerves as he stared at Sakura's back. Trepidation swelled through him as Sakura turned around, ever so slowly, and her stormy green eyes met his. He could see the raw, naked pain in her eyes, shining with unshed tears. Sasuke turned away. "I approached you because you were the first one I saw. And I approached you with only one intention. Bringing you home with me and claiming the Uchiha name." He turned to face her. "But I didn't expect to fall in love with you," he whispered, dark eyes boring into hers.

Sakura looked dismayed. He watched as the iridescent emerald of her eyes changed to a yellowish golden hue in the sunlight, and he didn't know how he still found it in himself to think that her eyes were transcendent.

"Do you really, Sasuke-kun?"

The implication in Sakura's words were like a slap in the face. He had known that the moment he told her the truth, she would question everything that he had done for her.

"Sakura…you know I do."

She felt her stomach twist, a painful burning filling her eyes. She didn't move as he walked towards her, and she turned back to stare at the endless sea. She shivered as he reached out and squeezed her arm, and she imagined him looking at her with eyes full of shame.

"Sakura, I'm sorry." His voice was heavy with regret. "I should've told you earlier…shouldn't have brought you back with me…but I needed you. After meeting you I knew I couldn't go back to a life without you."

Sakura cursed him in her head. He always knew what to say, and she had always been told that her heart was too big. That it would one day be the end of her. Her anger and disappointment melted away and she turned to face him, taking his hand off her arm before allowing a tiny smile to grace her lips. Holding Sasuke's big, rough hand in hers, she silently marvelled at their differences. His hands were big and rough with calluses, a symbol of how hard he had worked and how strong he was. She had seen him wield swords, ride horses and man a ship, seen him spar with Naruto, seen him give orders and train soldiers. But his hands that were so rough always held her with the gentlest of touches. Her hands were dainty and smooth, but she knew they held powers he could not comprehend. She could bend the sea to her will, heal anything if her heart desired it, and she had the gift of knowledge that men pursued. But Sasuke didn't need to know those things. Not yet. She didn't want him to love her for her powers. Men were greedy. Tsunade had told her of her own heartbreak with a man who had only wanted her for what she could do and not for who she was. Finding out the truth broke her, and Sakura did not want to subject herself to the same pain.

She thought back to the past month and a half she had spent with Sasuke, and memories they made gave her an elated buzz.

"I know," she mumbled, bashfulness heating her face as the fact that she had just admitted that Sasuke was in love with her sunk in. "I guess you'll just have to make it up to me."

"If you'll let me, I'll spend my whole lifetime making it up to you."

Her eyes met his and she let out a quiet gasp. His dark eyes were filled with warmth, with love, and they were so, so genuine.

"Maybe, Sasuke-kun."

…

Sasuke kissed her, long and slow, and she had sighed pleasantly as their mouths met in a quiet desperation. The taste of him was overwhelming. And then his hands were at her waist, crushing her against him and his soft kisses became firmer, more heated, and before she knew it he was lowering her onto the bed. It started as a slow exploration of tongues and fingers, and there was a simmering burn in the atmosphere. She was conscious of every inch of Sasuke's body against hers, the touches of his fingers leaving trails of electricity on her skin. His hands guided her own, to the places he wanted her to touch, that made him growl low in his throat and nip at her skin.

Sasuke's eyes blazed with a tint of red, and she flushed red at the thought of him memorising every detail of her face and body. She felt as if her body had been set on fire, and the unfamiliar heat that pooled in her belly made her throw her head back with choked off moans, with whispered pleas for him to touch her, for him to please do something to quell the slow burn. And then with a gentle snap of his hips they were joined so intimately in a way she hadn't thought possible, and she clung to him, mind and thought and rationality replaced by heat and pressure and pleasure. Her awareness of herself shifted and the only thing she knew of was the place they were joined.

Sated in mind and in body, Sasuke traced his finger from her eyelids to her nose to her lips. The soft glow of the moonlight that streamed in through the window lit her face up, and her smile was breath taking, but still inferior to the brilliance of her emerald eyes. He moved to thread his fingers through her hair, and with his other hand he pulled her flush against him. He leaned down, dark, onyx eyes boring into hers, and the pure joy and happiness that radiated in her eyes made him taste her lips once more.

"I love you, Sakura."

That night, Sakura wondered if someone could be so happy and so complete that they would burst.

…

Karin growled under her breath as she plopped down on the bench underneath the sakura tree. She was beginning to rethink her decision to work with Orochimaru. It had been nearly two months since they gave Sakura her legs, but that little wench showed no sign of dying any time soon. She had gotten excited when she heard of Sakura fainting two weeks ago while having dinner with the Uchiha, but no more progress had been made since then, and if anything, she looked like she was glowing all the damn time.

After they'd returned from sea, she just knew that Sasuke wouldn't be able to see past Sakura and realise that Karin was the perfect bride. The perfect woman. While it was painfully obvious that Sakura had a beauty that was impossible for any human to match, Karin knew she wasn't bad looking. Sasuke was just…temporarily blinded. He was a man, after all. A hot blooded, pure male, and Karin snarled at the thought of him and Sakura sharing a bed. She could only hope that Sakura hadn't figured out what else her legs came with, and that Sasuke hadn't had the desire to show her. She turned over the idea of Sasuke sleeping with Sakura over and over in her head, and felt blind rage overcoming her. She could no longer wait the four months Orochimaru had promised her Sakura would be dead by. She couldn't afford taking the chances of her sleeping with her Sasuke-kun.

…

She was happy. Overjoyed. Ecstatic. She had spent the last week pouring over every book she could find in the library about mermaids, and she was confident she had found what she needed to completely remove Sakura from Sasuke's life.

She suppressed an excited squeal when Sasuke opened the door to his study. She watched as his blank expression morphed into a frown when she wound her arms around his. "Sasuke-kun! I've been looking all over for you!"

He looked down at her, already in the process of removing her arms from him. "What do you want, Karin?"

"Well, I've just been doing some studying…you know, as I always do, and thought I might share my new knowledge with you."

He snorted, arms shooting out to close the door on her and she pushed herself up against him, effectively stopping his movements.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun. Don't be so hasty. Wouldn't you want to know what I've found out about Sakura-chan?" Her voice was low in her throat, and she felt a shiver of delight run through her as her lips closed in on his ear and her fingers ran up and down his chest.

Before she could blink, Sasuke had her pinned against the door, heat pooling in her belly with his proximity. Despite the burning glare he sent her way, she couldn't help but think of the things she wanted to do to him. It only fuelled her desire to succeed.

"Did you know, Sasuke-kun? What it means when a mermaid sings?"


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Sorry guys, to be honest when I first started this fanfic I had a really clear idea in my mind, but somehow after I actually started working on it I feel like this has turned out to be quite disappointing. I'm not sure if it's because the style of writing is so different to what I'm used to, or if the story just wasn't conceivable in the first instance. But anyhow, I'm currently working on another fic, the idea came to me yesterday and I think you guys might like this one more. But please read and review! Means a lot to me if you share your thoughts on this story.

…

He squeezed his fists a little tighter. For the past week, Sasuke had replayed Karin's words over and over until they were ingrained in his mind. Why? The question filled his head until he wanted to yell. Sasuke ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

He leaned against the table, shoulders slumped in defeat. As he gazed at the words from the journal he had found, he wondered why he was always the one falling prey to people's jokes. Since he was a child, Shisui and Obito tormented him with their pranks, and when Naruto grew to realise his true passion was making Sasuke's life as difficult as possible, the competition between him and Sasuke's cousins only made Sasuke grow weary. But as successful as they were, he had never expected to fall prey to a woman's game. His fingers curled around the edge of the desk tightly. Just when he was sure that she was the one. The sensations and feelings she evoked in him were foreign, but so welcome, and he nearly laughed to himself when he realised that all along, he had been played. He had never felt like this about a woman before, and Sakura wasn't the first beautiful woman he had come across, she wasn't the most charming or the most polite, so why had he not doubted his feelings as soon as they came?

"Sasuke-kun?"

He winced at the sound of her voice and he looked up to find her approaching him hesitantly. Her fingers clenched and unclenched the fabric of her skirt and she bit on her bottom lip, something she only did when she was nervous but Sasuke found endearing. He felt an irritating burn grow in his chest, and his brows sank low and he clenched his jaw tight, but it did nothing to dispel his fury. How could he have found it endearing, when it was all a hoax from the beginning?

Sasuke pushed himself off the desk and walked past her, painfully aware of the way her whole body tensed when he walked past without acknowledging her presence.

He needed to find someone. Itachi. Or Naruto. He needed to hit something.

…

"Teme, what's wrong?"

"Spar with me."

Naruto looked Sasuke over and shook his head. "Much as I enjoy beating the crap out of you, it's not what you need today, Sasuke. Tell me what's on your mind."

And suddenly, Sasuke felt compelled to just sit and talk to Naruto about everything, and he briefly wondered what it was about Naruto that made Sasuke trust him without a single shred of doubt, what about Naruto who was loud mouthed and never took anything too seriously that could completely disarm Sasuke and invite him into soul-baring conversations?

"It's Sakura," he mumbled, head hung low as he allowed himself to take a seat on Naruto's hideous orange couch.

"Sakura-chan? Did you get her pregnant?" Naruto wriggled his eyebrows up and down, and despite his anger, Sasuke felt the back of his neck slowly heat up.

"Shut up, dobe." He sighed. While Naruto had known him since he could barely walk, Sasuke was beginning to doubt if his knuckleheaded best friend could really help him when it came to women.

Naruto scoffed before his expression turned serious. "What's up with you and Sakura-chan? What did she do to upset you?"

He scowled at the overwhelming burden on his mind, a small part of him thankful for Naruto's annoying ability to instantly make him feel better.

Sasuke told Naruto everything that transpired the moment he left Konoha for his hunt, ending the story with Karin's unexpected revelation last week.

"So?" Naruto's face was scrunched up with confusion.

Sasuke looked at him incredulously. "What do you mean, so? I just told you what my fucking problem is."

"Sasuke. You can't tell me you believe Karin, can you?"

"She's your cousin," he grit out, furious at himself for even coming to Naruto.

"Teme, she may be my cousin, but that doesn't mean I worship the ground she walks on. We all know she's been salivating over you like a dog on heat since she met you."

"She wasn't lying, Naruto. I've spent the whole week in the library. I read the research papers myself." His voice was soft, the anger slowly fading as an overwhelming pain in his chest surfaced. Saying it out loud had made it infinitely more real than it had felt.

"Sasuke, you know that we don't know everything about her kind. It might just be a myth."

Sasuke focused his attention on a particular spot on Naruto's couch, fingers picking at the orange thread. "How can you not see it? My whole life, I've never been attracted to a woman. I've never felt an inkling of desire, or felt like I needed to keep a woman other than my mother close to me and protect them. And then I see her, and I'm acting like a love sick fool. There's no other explanation."

Naruto looked appalled. "You don't really believe you're not capable of love, do you?"

"What do I know? She's not even human, for God's sake. She's a fucking fish. The only woman I've ever loved is my mother, and I was always planning to marry someone my father chose and fall in love with her."

Sasuke's anger cooled to disappointment as he confided, "I really thought she was the one, Naruto."

"Maybe she still is."

Pushing down the small piece of blossoming hope, he allowed his anger to flare again. "When I laid my eyes on her, I knew she was beautiful. Ethereal. Like she only belonged in a man's dream. But she was so naïve, and it was almost too easy to bring her back. And then she fucking sang to me, away from everyone else, and something in me clicked and I was in love. How can she be the one, when I wasn't really in love with her in the first place?"

"And what if what you read about mermaids singing isn't even true? What makes you even think, for a second, that it could just be another one of men's fantasies and women's jealousies, conjured into a research paper?"

Naruto's implication was like a slap in the face. There was no way that research papers in the Uchiha library were fake. And as if Naruto could read Sasuke's thoughts, he let out a snort. "As far as us not knowing much about mermaids or whether or not what you've heard and read about Sakura-chan is true, I guess that's mostly right. But the things that make her our Sakura-chan though, those things haven't changed, despite what you think you know. And if you really want to know the truth, why don't you just ask her? Because that's the only way you'll know."

A scowl twisted Sasuke's face. He had been so sure he knew her. And much as he knew that Naruto's advice made sense, just the thought of really looking at Sakura overwhelmed him.

He thought about how he had been avoiding her for the last week. He had taken to moving out of his own bedroom, living in one of the guest rooms down the hall. He didn't approach her or talk to her if there was no need, and every time she found him he always found a reason to leave immediately. And even though he never looked at her, he knew she was hurt and confused. After all, he had given her no explanation. His mother didn't hide her disappointment and Itachi had tried to cajole him into talking, but Sasuke couldn't. He told himself that they would never understand. He was the one who thought he was in love, he was the one whose emotions were misguided, and he was the one who broke his own rules for a woman he thought he knew. He was the one being used, not them. Whatever fondness they felt for Sakura could not amount to the love he thought he had for her.

…

She closed her eyes and let her fingers dance across the keys, first on ivory then gliding to ebony. Music filled the room, sweeping her into a world she had missed and thought was forever. She allowed her lips to part in a song, humming wordlessly to the tune she played. She had spent most of the last week alone, and when she had stumbled across Izumi playing the piano, she knew it was something she needed to learn.

Music was a part of her as was the ocean. There was something about it that felt so heavenly, something about music that could make her forget everything, something about music that allowed her to express her feelings.

Sasuke had been an enigma she wanted so badly to decipher. She loved him, and she had thought he felt the same way about her. But the way he refused to acknowledge her existence the past week hurt. She felt sick to her stomach as she realised that she didn't even know why. What had she done wrong to drive him away? Or was she just a toy, a mysterious mermaid he wanted to explore, and then discard when his curiosity was sated? She had tried to reach out to him, to somehow, fix what was wrong between them. She wanted to so desperately just talk to him.

Her yearning was interrupted by a sudden applause. Confused, she turned to see Orochimaru gazing placidly at her. Her fingers stilled their movement instantaneously, and her singing died in her lips. She watched as he took slow steps toward her, stopping only when he was next to her before leaning against the piano.

"Sakura-chan, I didn't know you could play the piano."

Her hands came to rest in her lap, fingers fiddling with her skirt nervously as she nibbled on her lower lip.

"Aa. I've been learning from Izumi."

"Your voice is…very powerful. It echoes in my mind, even now. Long after you ceased to sing."

She nervously tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Truth be told, she was stunned. Her last encounter with Orochimaru was when he turned her, and then, he had been shrewd. The way he looked at her unnerved her and his cold hands on her intimidated her, but she had endured it for Sasuke. Now, he didn't look at her as if he was undressing her with his eyes, they were instead, almost warm. Maybe this was her chance to find out what was wrong with her. "Thank you. I…I've been wondering, about the procedure. My body, it hasn't been completely the same since."

"How do you mean, Sakura-chan?"

She bit her lip. How could she disclose that she couldn't use her abilities, without actually telling him about her seal? The power in her seal was sacred, privy only to her kind. She had not forgotten Tsunade's lesson.

"I…I get headaches a lot. And my legs…they don't always work like I want them to. I have difficulty running." She clenched her hands into tight fists, hoping he wouldn't see through her lie.

He surprised her when he looped his fingers around her wrist and brought her up, leading her toward the door.

"If you'll let me, Sakura-chan. I'd like to carry out a more thorough examination to find out what's wrong."

"Perhaps another time? I…I'm feeling quite tired today." Despair settled over her. Could she trust him? While he hadn't harmed her the last time she followed him, his change in behaviour frightened her. She began to tremble when his free hand reached up toward her head. He leaned in, slowly and gently, as if afraid of startling her, and his hand gently cupped her head and his fingers sank into her hair.

"You know," he said quietly. "I don't know what it is about you, but I think I'm in love with you."

Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief. Her breath caught in her throat as his hand raked through her hair. She felt like something broke inside of her, and she closed her eyes as her brows furrowed. Sasuke had loved running his fingers through her hair. A cold spike ran through her gut as she realised that he hadn't touched her in a week.

Just as her lips started to part in an apology, she caught movement from the corner of her eye, and she froze when Sasuke walked through the door. Sakura trembled as she watched Sasuke's expression darken with fury.

"Orochimaru. Get out."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thank you guys for your kind words, here is another short chapter for you! Again, please tell me your thoughts! I've also posted my new fic I was talking about, Headfirst, so please give that a read if you have the time. Love you all!

…

"Sasuke-kun! Thank you, I –"

"Save your bullshit Sakura."

"Wha –"

"When were you going to tell me the truth?" He knew he needed to calm down, but he couldn't. He had come looking for her, with every intention of taking Naruto's advice, but seeing Orochimaru's interaction with her only reinforced the truth in Karin's words.

"Truth? What are you talking about?"

Hurt and anger burned in his veins. White hot jealousy was the first thing that had registered in his brain when Orochimaru touched her before reality hit him like a slap in the face. Sasuke sneered. "You're a terrible liar, Sakura." He wasn't in love with Sakura.

"I don't understand."

"I didn't either, but I'm seeing everything with clarity now." He gripped her wrist and pulled her towards him, hard enough to bruise, and his eyes bled red as he seethed. "Get out of my sight. I don't ever want to see you again. And don't let anyone catch you, Sa-ku-ra. Because if they do, you won't live to see another day." A nauseous feeling floated in his stomach when she looked at him, eyes wide and glossy and so broken, and his lips lifted into a snarl to quash the desire to kiss her and tell her he was sorry.

"Get out now."

"Sasuk –"

His eyes left hers immediately and his lips pressed into a hard line. "Don't. Don't you fucking dare say my name."

Her world slowed to a crawl as she forced her legs to move towards the door. Her eyes burned and she took several deep breaths to swallow her sobs. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she thought of his eyes, angry and cold and empty, and, overwhelmed with an inexplicable panic by the thought of his gaze, she ran.

Her world came crashing back into motion once she climbed over the back gates of Konoha. She collapsed against the wall. She had never ventured beyond these gates, Sasuke had always said it wasn't safe and so she had never asked. Thoughts of Sasuke flooded her head, and her eyes burned and she scolded herself. Keep it together. There is no more Sasuke. Angry and confused at everything, she punched the wall repeatedly in a desperate attempt to quell the pain in her heart. What had she been thinking, hoping for forever with Sasuke? Legs or no legs, she was a mermaid. And he was human. What could she possibly offer him besides a taste of something exotic and otherwise unattainable? Tsunade was right.

Lost in her misery, her lower lip trembled and she finally allowed tears to cascade down her cheeks as she slid down to the ground until her head hit her knees. A flash of anger burned through her as she thought of how she could never return to the ocean because she had traded her tail for legs. For Sasuke. Her anger was quickly overwhelmed by anguish as she moaned and wept harder. He loved her. He told her and he showed her and she believed it and now she was nothing more than a discarded toy, past its use-by date. She keened, rocking back and forth as her heart shattered.

After she finally calmed down, still hiccupping from the remnants of her cries, she took in her surroundings. The sun had begun to set, painting the sky a fiery orange, and she was at the mouth of a forest. So this was the Forbidden Forrest that surrounded the other side of Konoha. Looking up, she found herself transfixed by the myriad of fluttering leaves that danced in the high boughs. She had never seen so many different shades of green, and the last few rays of sun that shone through the canopy made it look ethereal. She didn't know where it would lead her, if there even was anything on the other side, but she squared her shoulders as she entered the rutted path. She had no other choice. She couldn't go back to the sea and she couldn't stay in Konoha.

She didn't know how long she had been walking for, but the forest that had been so inviting only moments ago had turned dark and ominous with the disappearance of the sun. The temperature was starting to cool, and she could smell the rain coming on, and stray braches snagged in the fabric of her dress, ripping and tearing as she moved through the forest. She huddled underneath a tree she deemed enough to give her shelter and wrapped her arms tightly around herself to stave off the cold.

The light drizzle soon turned into a heavy downpour, water drenching through her clothes and seeping into her skin. Her shoulders trembled uncontrollably and she wondered how long it would be before she gave into the cold. Tears once again leaked from the corners of her eyes, mixing with the rainwater sliding down her cheeks. Her head began to pound, and she clenched her eyes shut as the familiar pain throbbed through her. She briefly wondered if anyone would find her. Darkness was overwhelming her. There was a roaring in her ears and her lids grew heavier and darker, defeating her futile attempts to stay awake.

…

Shisui's dark figure was a blur as he and Obito manoeuvred their horses between the trees, unimpeded by the heavy rain pouring down on them. A small frown crossed his features as his eyes scanned the forest, searching for her. A small part of his brain nagged at him. Whatever attempts they were making to find her now were futile. They had been searching for hours, and had not caught sight of her. The dogs were useless in the rain, with no scent to follow.

…

His brown eyes squinted in the dark as he caught sight of a figure sitting beneath a large tree, pressed so deeply against the trunk it was barely discernible. From the small stature, he guessed it was a female. As he approached her, he realised she was unconscious. For a fleeting second, he considered leaving her there. But as he lit up her face with the light of his flames, he changed his mind. There was no mistaking that this woman was beautiful. Even darkened by the rain, he could tell her long locks were an exotic shade of pink. She had a heart shaped face with a sharp nose and high cheekbones, facial structures that gave away her beauty.

His lips lifted up into a grin as he bent to pick her up. He would save her life, and she would work for him to pay off her debt.

Later, in the light of the room, he could see that she was breathtaking, with her creamy skin and pale pink hair. He wondered what colour her eyes were. He undressed her methodically, and once she was fully naked, he began drying her off and wrapping her body in thick blankets.

…

"Fuck, Sasuke. What the hell were you thinking?"

A rain soaked Shisui was furious, eyes glowering with hatred and disappointment, and he didn't have to look at everyone else in the room to know they were all thinking the same thing.

He was surprised at how smoothly his voice came out, fluid like liquid gold. "She deceived me. Her intentions in Konoha could not have been honest. I was simply protecting my country. I think I was kind enough to let her go without punishment."

Shisui's hands grabbed at Sasuke's shirt, hauling and pulling him so close he could smell the alcohol on Sasuke's breath.

"You fucking idiot. She cannot survive out there on her own. You know that! And here you sit, drinking the night away. You're supposed to protect the woman that you love, Sasuke, not send her to her death!"

Sasuke let out an irritated sigh before prying Shisui's hands off him. "I don't love her, Shisui. I never did. I just…thought I did. Is that enough for you?"

The defeated tone in his voice and his slightly deflated shoulders made Shisui feel a little bit guilty. As foolish as his actions were, he knew that Sasuke had loved Sakura.

Sasuke cleared his throat. "It's better this way, anyway. Now, there are no distractions, and I can focus on Konoha again. Sakura is an enemy of the Uchiha now, let that be known. And all of you know how we punish those who betray us, so I suggest you forget about her, just as I will."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hi guys, I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Yes, Sasuke is being a big jerk and is so easily swayed, but in a way I was hoping that this kept him close to character. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this one too and please review if you have time so I know your thoughts!

…

Her eyes fluttered open slowly at the feel of the sun shining on her face. Groggily, she took in her surroundings. The bed underneath her was harder than she was used to, and the room smelled faintly of pine. She raised herself up to lean against the headboard, closing her eyes as she recalled the events that had landed her here.

"Ah…I see you're awake."

She jumped at the intrusion, and looked up into the face of a middle aged man. He had brown eyes and strawberry blonde hair, and his smile was kind.

"Thank you, for saving me…"

He waved her off with a flick of his hand, handing her a glass of water.

"You can call me Hiro. And no problem. I couldn't leave you out there to die. Speaking of which, why were you out in the forest alone?"

She released a sad, quivering breath, feeling like a weight was pressing down on her chest. "I… –"

"I see. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

She watched him closely as he took the now empty glass from her and placed it on the bedside table before rummaging through a drawer. He made his way back to her with a white shirt, and with a pang in her heart she briefly thought that Sasuke would have handed her a dark blue one.

"Shower's that way. We'll talk after you've freshened up."

…

The shirt that he gave her was old and threadbare. The soft cotton was nice against her skin and it swallowed her whole, reaching half way down her thighs. She rubbed her legs together self-consciously, remembering Sasuke's advice that women didn't go around baring their legs to the world. But Sasuke wasn't here anymore. She was hurt and confused and she just wanted to talk. But a small part of her was angry. Angry that he had so easily cast her aside after all the sweet nothings he had whispered in her ear late at night. Angry that he had so easily cast her aside just as he had so easily deceived her. Angry at herself for being so stupid, for not thinking twice and taking the first opportunity she was presented to obtain legs. Angry for following her heart when every bit of logic screamed for her to do the opposite.

"Where do you live? Are you from around here?"

"I…" and she thought about the ocean with a bitter sweet longing, mouth twisting downwards in a broken frown. "No. I don't have a home." Not anymore, was left unsaid, but he heard it loud and clear.

"Ahh well…I suppose we could work something out if you're not opposed to the idea. I can supply you with a place to live, but not for free of course. I'm sorry, I should've asked for your name the moment you woke up."

"Yuki. My name is Yuki," she supplied breezily. It felt weird, introducing herself as another, but Konoha wasn't large and she didn't want to think about what Sasuke would do to her if he caught wind that she was still here. She would have to somehow find her way back to the ocean, but she knew it would take time. "And yes, I'd like that."

Hiro gave her a brief but thorough glance before setting the food on the table. This Yuki…she was almost god-like in her beauty. When she woke up, he was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful emerald of her eyes. And now, after her shower, she looked every bit the perfect woman. Her long, pink hair was damp, slightly curled from the humidity and now that her skin was clean and free from dirt, it was creamier than he had imagined. And her jade orbs, even though shining with a sadness he couldn't comprehend, were ethereal. If he played his cards right, she could make him a lot of money.

She was staring at him with an expectant look, large green eyes curious. He chuckled.

"First, we'll need to get you something decent to wear. And then I'll show you what I have in mind."

…

"Man, this is hard to watch," Naruto said sulkily as he watched Sasuke train the newest batch of recruits, harsh and brutal and unforgiving. It was only their first day, but Naruto knew that by the end of the day, none of them would have the strength to make it through tomorrow.

Anybody who didn't know Sasuke well would think that he was okay. But to the four pairs of eyes watching him from the shade of the sakura tree, he was far from okay. It had been three weeks since Sakura left, and as much as Sasuke tried to pretend he was coping, they knew he wasn't. His skin was much paler than usual, his eyes were empty and lifeless and he was always in a surly mood. He was taking his anger and frustration out the only way he knew how to – on others. If the recruits had noticed a change in their training regimen they said nothing, most likely out of fear of being punished if Sasuke were to catch wind of their words.

"No," Shisui said, "Two weeks ago it was hard to watch."

"And now it's just pathetic," Obito finished.

"Such a fucking coward," Naruto murmured. They knew Sasuke had been afraid. The idea of investing his heart and soul into a woman who could break it with little to no effort if she so chose scared him. He was afraid of hurting, and so he chose to hurt her first. They all sighed collectively.

"Did you find anything yesterday?" While Sasuke had declared Sakura an enemy of the Uchiha, Itachi had given them orders to find her.

"We'll keep looking, Itachi. Obito and I scoured the forest yesterday and no dead bodies yet, so she must be alive somewhere."

"Teme really fucked up this time. I hope Sakura-chan's okay."

…

There was a lump in her throat and her heart pounded rapidly in her chest. After three weeks, Sakura still couldn't get used to this. She stared at her reflection, and she didn't recognise the girl looking back at her. Her long pink hair was made up in an intricate up do, beautiful pearls holding it up in place. She had a light layer of make up on, but her eyes were heavily lined, making them look more cat-like than her natural almond shape, and her lips were painted a sinful red. Hiro had said that while she was gorgeous without make up, like this, she looked hot, and hot was what made money.

There was a knock on the door, and she rose gracefully from her seat. "It's time now, Yuki-chan."

She had found out that they were located in a little village called Shiro, just past the Forbidden Forest, still a part of Konoha, but far enough to be isolated from the town centre. There weren't many people who lived in this town, most people were travellers who never stayed for more than a few days. She knew she would be safe here. Here, she was Yuki, the girl who lost her way. Here, she was Yuki, the girl with the sad eyes and lonely smile. Here, she was Yuki, the girl with a voice of gold.

She made her way to the stage, dressed in a short, bright red kimono that ended just a few inches below her derriere. It revealed her long, creamy legs and an ample amount of cleavage, leaving just enough to the imagination. She began to sing, her voice a soothing sound, dulcet tones creating a beautiful melody that mesmerized the entire room. She was singing a song about love. Love and happiness and overwhelming bliss and heartbreak and goodbyes. As her song drew to a close, she took a bow and smiled, because this was her life now.

Hiro had offered her a place to stay, a roof over her head and food to fill her stomach in exchange for this. He had initially wanted her to work as a courtesan, but once she had found out what the job entailed she refused. She could still feel the imprint of Sasuke's fingers on her body and the ghost of his lips against her skin, still remember the sense of completion she had felt in her heart when they joined, and she vowed that this was the one thing she would protect. So she had convinced him that she could do other things for him. She could sing, and while he was sceptical at first, the word had spread like wildfire after her first performance and business had boomed, and he couldn't deny her. Every now and then, one customer, too captivated by her voice would request for her presence as an escort, and she was okay with this. Because Hiro had been kind to her, and she owed him this much.

When she wasn't working, she was pleased to do as she liked, and she usually spent her time finding a way to regain her tail. She had found a little cove, tucked away and hidden in the fringes of the forest, and this had become her solace. The cove was filled with natural rock pools, and she would come in the early hours of the morning and the late hours of the night to soak in it, relishing the feel of the cool, salty water against her skin. Her yin seal had begun to fade, bright lavender now only a pale lilac. She wasn't sure what it meant, but she attributed it to her inability to use her powers. Her headaches had become more frequent, almost on a daily basis now, but she found comfort in the briny waters of the ocean.

…

Naruto slurped on his miso ramen noisily, as he listened to the chatter around him. He was on his third bowl, but his hunger was far from sated. His chopsticks halted in mid-air at the next words he heard.

"She was really something. Pink hair and green eyes and a smoking hot body. I would give anything for a night with her."

Blue eyes turned to the two men next to him, making no attempt to hide that he was listening in on their conversation.

"You couldn't afford her?"

"No, Hiro said she's not for sale. I don't know what he's thinking, keeping a tight little thing like that all to himself. I would've paid top dollar for her."

Naruto's throat closed up as he took in their words. He wasn't the brightest book, but he wasn't stupid, either. He knew the insinuations behind their words, and he seethed at the thought that it was Sasuke, his best friend, who had put Sakura in this situation. Sasuke was arrogant, blunt, big-headed, and extremely stubborn, but Naruto knew that if he knew the position he had put Sakura in, in love or not, he would go to her rescue. His fists tightened. What if someone offered enough money for this Hiro to sell her out? He didn't have time to get Sasuke.

"Damn. I'll have to check her out myself."

His bowl tipped, almost spilling, when Naruto stood abruptly, chair scraping against the concrete floor, earning the attention of the two travellers.

"Was her name Sakura?" he asked, eyes shining with quiet hope.

"Nah, man. Her name's Yuki."

"Where did you see her?"

The man snorted. "Information like that don't come cheap, man. Pay up."

In an instant, Naruto had him pinned against the counter, sword against his throat. "I won't ask a second time." He didn't realise how desperate he'd been for news on Sakura for the past three weeks until now.

"Okay, okay, okay! Geez! She's at Hiro's brothel in Shiro."

In an instant, Naruto was gone, leaving behind enough money for their meals, his own steaming bowl of ramen forgotten. Shiro? They had been so stupid. How could they not think to look past the fucking forest?

…

Sasuke grit his teeth against the throb in his temples. A headache formed at the thought of Sakura's sad eyes. No matter how hard he tried, she still haunted him. It was always worst at night – when there were no duties and jobs to distract him. He thought of how easily he'd been played, how easily he'd fallen for her and how he'd been so convinced that he was in love with her, trying to muster up the anger at Sakura's betrayal, but in his heart of hearts, he was worried. While he had made announced to his family that Sakura was as good as dead to him, he had secretly tried to track her down, but all of his attempts were futile. His shoulders slumped and a hollow feeling filled his stomach. Was she still alive?

There was an unexpected knock on his door, and he tried to push the nagging desperation of hope that it was Sakura. His face shifted from apathetic brooding to irritation when he opened the door and saw her.

"Sasuke-kun! I was just passing and I saw that your lights were still on, so I thought I'd check on you!"

"What do you want?" He hadn't spoken to Karin since she revealed what she knew about Sakura, and he certainly didn't want to start now. His fraying nerves didn't need her grating chatter or flirting.

"I…I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Sasuke-kun. You know…what with her betrayal, and now her disappearance…" Karin took a tentative step towards Sasuke.

"I'm fine," he grit out, patience waning as she tried to force her way into his room.

"Well, I thought you'd be lonely, Sasuke-kun. I could offer you some company," she purred, taking advantage of Sasuke rubbing his temples to press herself up against him.

Looking down at fiery red, Sasuke didn't miss the double meaning behind her words. She continued to press a hand to his chest, drawing tentative circles. She lowered her voice to a husky whisper. "I can make you feel better, Sasuke-kun. So much better than she can." She angled her head toward him, her breath on her lips. He looked into her half-lidded eyes as she slid her arms around his neck, rubbing her cheek against the crook of his neck. "Sasuke-kun," she purred again.

A vivid remembrance of pink entered his mind and he thought of how Sakura's soft body melded so perfectly against his, how she sighed his name in his ear and how her eyes sparkled with unshed tears as he made love to her and his eyes bled red as he pushed Karin away roughly like he'd been burned. The growing pain in his head made his stomach turn.

"Get out," he said through clenched teeth.

Karin huffed and spluttered as Sasuke dragged her by the arm, none too gently shoving her out of the vicinity of his room before slamming the door shut in her face.

He sat on his bed, fingers laced in front of his face as he tried to douse the raging fire in his head and the slow, overwhelming ache that had begun to form in his chest.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Hi guys, I know this update is a little soon, maybe its because I just really want to finish this. Hope you enjoy this one and as always, please review! Means a lot to me!

…

He got off Gamabunta and tied his reins to a tree, running his fingers through his silky mane before rewarding him with an apple. "Good boy." While Gamabunta wasn't as fast as Manda, his speed was still impressive, and got Naruto in Shiro in just over an hour.

As he leaned across the tree behind him, contemplating his next move, his blue eyes flickered to the building in front of him. It wasn't hard to find Sakura's whereabouts once he reached Shiro. The town was small enough that everyone knew everyone and each other's business, and all he had to do was visit a local bar and ask about Yuki. Naruto turned over his conversation with the barman in his mind. He was sure Yuki was Sakura. Her pink hair and green eyes were a dead giveaway, and the timing of her appearance and how nobody seemed to know much about her except for her singing talent further cemented the fact. She worked at the local brothel, not as a courtesan, he had been told, and at this, a weight he didn't know he had been carrying for the past hour lifted; but as a singer, and if you were lucky enough, an escort. His fists clenched and unclenched as he thought about how scared she must have been when she first set foot here.

Hiro, he had found out, was once a traveller, who had settled down in Shiro five years ago and built a life for himself here. Naruto was relieved to hear that he was a kind and honest man, and even though he didn't agree with the kind of business he ran, he would have to thank him for saving Sakura. He knew she wouldn't have survived a night in the forest alone. Naruto's lips pulled downwards in a frown, thinking about his next steps. As kind as Hiro seemed, he was also a businessman. Would he consent to Naruto taking Sakura away from him? He had heard about how his business had boomed since she started singing at the brothel, and he doubted that Hiro would let her go without a price.

He smacked his head when the thought of her singing came into his mind. This was also what he was here to investigate. Her singing. He pushed himself off the tree, pulled his hood over his head and walked into the brothel.

He coughed as soon as he step foot into the building, the dimly lit room filled with dry ice smoking in swirls in an array of blues, greens, pinks and gold. There was the distinct smell of alcohol and smoke and he was instantly approached by a man whose appearance matched the description he was given for Hiro.

"Good evening, sir. How may I be of assistance tonight?"

"I'm here for Yuki. I'd like to have her for the night."

Brown eyes met blue and Hiro smiled politely. "Ah, the ever famous Yuki. I'm sorry to disappoint but she's not a courtesan. You could have her as an escort, but not tonight. However she is singing tonight, something I'd highly recommend you stay for. Surely you must have heard of her voice if you've heard of her beauty."

Naruto snorted as his hand reached for a pouch strapped to his waist and lifted it up for Hiro to see. "How much do you want for her? Just name your price."

Instead of watching Hiro's eyes light up at the sound of unlimited funds, Naruto was pleasantly surprised to see his cheerful smile turn into a frown.

"I'm sorry sir, but she's not a courtesan. If I cannot assist you in finding someone equally as beautiful to suit your needs, or if you're not interested in any of our other services, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

He lifted his hands in defeat, and no longer able to hide his relief, he beamed at Hiro.

"No, it's okay. I'd like to hear this voice of hers."

Hiro led him through another dimly lit corridor, the effects of the dry ice gradually fading until they entered the bar. In the middle of the room sat a stage with a few poles, currently perused by two scantily clad women. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. He watched as they moved around the poles, sliding and twirling, watched as the men cheered and threw money at them. Naruto was seated at a table in the middle of the room, here he had full view of what was going on at the stage, but was far enough so that he would blend in with the rest of the crowd. All the waitresses were topless and flirty, and he felt his heart fill with worry again. Although Sakura wasn't working as a courtesan, it didn't mean that she was different to the rest of the women working here. He wondered if she was made to work in flimsy clothing and flirt with men, and the thought made his stomach sick with nausea. Hiro's hand on his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts.

"First drink's on me. An apology, if you will, for Yuki. She'll be on again shortly, so I hope you enjoy the show."

…

She stopped dead in her tracks and her humming died in her throat. She followed the hand on her wrist up the length of his arm until she reached his blue eyes, and she was suddenly overwhelmed, not knowing if she should jump for joy or scream in distress.

"Sakura-chan." His voice, although soft, carried the same warmth she had remembered. His eyes conveyed everything he was feeling – guilt, sympathy, relief. Her lower lip quivered slightly before she forced it into a thin line.

"I'm sorry," she said, gently removing his hand from hers. "But I think you've got the wrong person. My name is Yuki."

His gaze was hard, unwavering, and she suddenly found her shoes very interesting to look at.

"You don't have to hide from me, Sakura-chan."

He watched as she slowly lifted her head to meet his gaze, and watched as they went from anxious, to guarded, to defeated. His name left her lips in a whisper, but he heard it. He heard her hurt and her loneliness and he didn't think he had ever been so angry at Sasuke in the twenty five years that he had known him. Her trembling hand on his was enough to douse his anger, and he let her lead him away from the brothel. They walked in silence until they neared the forest, walking deeper into it, and soon he could smell the briny aroma of the ocean.

Moonlight shone on the still ocean like a pale band of silver, the rocks were moon-bleached, and he couldn't help but think that under the light of the moon, Sakura looked more ethereal than he had ever seen her. She let go of his hand, removed her shoes and he watched as she closed her eyes when her feet hit the soft sand. He followed her wearily, watching as she sat on the edge of a rock and dipped her feet into the water.

"Were you watching me all night?"

Naruto sighed. "No. I only managed to catch your last song."

"Was I good?"

"Yes Sakura-chan. You were."

She hummed in appreciation, and he took his shoes off, rolled his pants up to his knees and joined her by the rock. Sasuke had it all wrong. He reached out and gently touched her wrist. "Come back to Konoha with me."

Sakura's eyes opened a little wider at his request. He knew what her answer would be, he could see the apprehension in her eyes and he didn't miss the way her shoulders tensed slightly. "I…I can't." he looked at her sad, sagging posture, and he wanted so much to take her into his arms. He had grown to love Sakura as the sister he never had. They had bonded instantly, she was attracted to the happy energy he seemed to exude no matter what the circumstance and he loved that she loved.

"I can help you work it out with Sasuke. Itachi, Obito, Shisui and I have been looking for you everywhere. Everyone's been really worried about you, Sakura-chan."

She turned to face him when he squeezed her wrist a little, and he watched as tears gathered in her eyes. He watched as one droplet hung, heavy and luminous in the moonlight, from a lash. She slipped her hand from his grasp and wiped it away before it fell.

"I can't, Naruto," she said, drawing a shaky breath, collecting herself. "There's no place for me in Konoha." She dabbed her eyes and nose with the sleeves of her kimono. She held her hands tightly in her lap, staring at them as she let out a quivering sigh.

"I appreciate that you were looking for me. I really do. But I have a life here. I have a home and I have a job and I –"

"Bullshit, Sakura. You had a home in Konoha. Still have, if you come back."

And without warning, he watched as the tears he had been trying to avoid spill from her eyes, and her shoulders shook uncontrollably as she cried, raw and full of anguish. He put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his arms, and as she cried into his shirt, he wished he could take his words back. He had never meant to make her cry.

"Sasuke-kun doesn't love me, but I love him so much it hurts."

The nausea swirled unrestrained in his stomach. Denial roared through him. Despite Sasuke's cool exterior and cruel words, he was Naruto's best friend. Naruto had known him his whole life, and he was sure he knew what was in Sasuke's heart, no matter what the bastard said. "Sakura-chan, that's not true. He's just a little lost right now, but if you give him a chance –"

"I'm fading, Naruto."

His face pinched in confusion.

"What?"

She removed herself from his arms, using her sleeves to wipe away the remnants of her tears before she looked up into the night sky.

"I…I'm not sure what's happening to me, but I haven't been right. For a long time. I have these headaches, almost every day now, and when they come I'm helpless to do anything. My yin seal is fading…it has powers in it, my family's strength, and I haven't been able to harness it since I got legs. And I'm always so, so tired. All the time. But somehow, being here, near the ocean, it helps."

Naruto's eyes flew to the rhombus on her forehead, and he frowned when he realised it was a lot paler than it he remembered. He mulled over her words in his mind. He was no expert on her kind, nor did he have any knowledge on the trick Orochimaru used on her, but it wouldn't be difficult to get the snake talking. He thought about all the other mermen and the last mermaid they had captured, all never living past a year, and a sudden realisation hung over him like a black cloud. She couldn't live without the sea. He cursed in his head. They had been so caught up in teaching Sakura how to be human, they had forgotten that she wasn't really one. He knew that she wouldn't be able to live on land for long, her soul was too intertwined with the ocean.

"Why don't you go back to the ocean then?"

"Promise me you won't tell them. Especially Sasuke-kun. I'm happy here…I really am."

Blue eyes stared into her green ones, and even though he could see through her lie, he agreed.

"Okay."

A breath.

"My legs…they're irreversible."

…

Mikoto sighed irritably as she watched Sasuke sulk, stirring his now watery tomato soup mindlessly as he looked out the window. Naruto was looking at Sasuke as if he wanted to pummel him to the ground, and she had no doubt that if she wasn't here, she would later hear about her dining hall's destruction. Naruto had walked in on her and Sasuke having breakfast, face red from rage, and they had listened as he recounted what he had learnt from his trip to Shiro last night.

"Teme, have you got nothing to say?"

Sasuke hadn't felt this weighed down in years. He continued to stir his soup in favour of ignoring Naruto, as he tried to envision Sakura performing in a brothel, of all places, to survive. He ground his teeth as his grip tightened on the spoon, bending it, thinking that he was really the worst. If he hadn't overreacted like the stupid, immature moron he was, she would be here, next to him, having breakfast and smiling and laughing, eyes shining with warmth. She would slide her hands into his, her touch soft and warm. He was suddenly overcome by a wave of nostalgia and for a moment, he felt light and happy again, burdened only by his need to protect her.

The reality of his actions came crashing back when he felt a tap on his head. Stiffly, he forced himself to let go of his spoon. The burning in his eyes and the tightness in his chest was enough for him to admit that his guilt was percolating, and he wanted to explode. He looked up to see his mother, eyes full of disappointment and shame, and he had to force himself to look away.

"Sasuke," Mikoto's voice was stern, and instantly he was brought back to a time when he was six and he had fought with Itachi and his cousins over who got to eat the last piece of dango, which had naturally ended up in scraped knees and bruises and tears, and Mikoto had pulled on their ears as she gave them a lecture on sharing.

"I didn't raise you to be an irresponsible coward."

His eyes widened as he turned to face her. "I could tell you the truth behind Sakura-chan's singing, but I won't. Because she deserves to know why you drove her away, and you owe it to her to listen to what she has to say in response." Her eyes softened as she placed a hand on his head, gently ruffling his hair.

"If you think she's the one you want to be with, fight for her. How can you claim to be an Uchiha if you can't love?"

Naruto slapped him on the back, smiling wickedly at him. "C'mon Sasu-chan. We need to iron things out with Orochimaru first." And then, looking hopeful, "And then we can go get Sakura-chan back?"

How many times since Sakura left had he asked himself this same question? How many times had his heart cried out for her, and how many times had he stubbornly refused? He wasn't sure; it had been too many times, but today, Sasuke didn't have it in him to say no. Perhaps it was because of his mother's words, or maybe it was because he finally knew where Sakura was, and that she was safe and alive, or maybe it was because in Naruto's encouragement, in his too bright smile Sasuke saw that Sakura would forgive him in a heartbeat.

"Hn."

…

Sasuke stepped into the shower and turned the taps on full blast. Lathering up his hands, he elbowed the hot water faucet higher until the heat seared across his back, as if the scalding heat was in some way penance for his actions. The room began to fill with swirling curls of steam, and he scrubbed and scoured his skin until it was pink, his weary thoughts drifting to soft pink and emerald green.

Lathering up shampoo, he washed his hair, nails scraping roughly across his scalp. Here he was, an Uchiha, second in line to the throne, one of the most revered warriors in the Uchiha army, getting mixed up in false accusations. Disgust loomed as he thought about how he had so easily listened to Karin, how he had so easily trusted Orochimaru's little act, how he had ignored Naruto's advice of just asking.

A stinging sensation across his chest halted his movements. He had moved back to his body without even realising, and he'd scrubbed himself raw. Snapping off the tap, he stepped out of the shower and wiped the haze from the mirror to see that his skin was deeply flushed from the heat. Exhausted, he closed his eyes for a second, and suddenly, all he could see was pale pink and shining green and broken sobs. He slammed his fist down on the polished marble of the vanity, hot anger surging through him. Why had he chased her away without giving her a chance? What kind of monster was he, that he could treat someone he loved – no, loves – with such disdain? One of his most precious people.

Sasuke looked down at the red welts he'd scratched into his skin and ran his hands down his face and exhaled. Enough of being a pathetic coward.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Hi guys, before you even read this chapter I just want to say I'm sorry! I've been stuck on this for weeks, but it needed to happen and I know it's by far the worst chapter I've written, but please be patient with me. It will get better from here on out, promise! Please read and review! Much love! And happy new year!

…

Sakura's feet barely touched the floor as she soared down the streets. Finally, she had found someone who might have pointed her in the right direction. She had heard from the locals that there was a shaman in town, one who was well known for his foresight. She hummed as she skipped down the cobblestone path, hair flowing behind her as she beamed. Maybe, this shaman could give her some answers, point her in the right direction, and maybe she could even go home. She hadn't felt this light in weeks.

When she finally reached the shaman's little makeshift tent at the edge of town, she came to a halt, and all of a sudden she was assaulted with nerves. Pressing her hands together in a silent prayer, she willed the wild thumping of her heart to slow down. There were too many questions she wanted answered, and doubt began creeping in. What if she left disappointed? What if this man wasn't what he was made out to be? And what if he had news that Sakura didn't want to hear? Wasn't prepared to hear? Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nibbled on her bottom lip and pushed past the flaps of the tent.

"Aaahhhh…Sakura-chan. I've been waiting for you."

She was surprised to see him, tall and well built, not at all the old, withering man she had envisioned. There was a wart on his nose and he had long, spiky white hair that was pulled back into a pony tail. Identical red tattoos started underneath both eyes and ran down the length of his cheeks. His grin was inviting, and immediately she felt at ease.

She blinked. "You…know me, sir?"

He threw his head back in laughter, inviting her further into his tent. It was bright and well lit with scrolls lying everywhere. There was a makeshift bed in one corner, and in the middle were two chairs and a table. He motioned for her to take a seat.

"My dear, I didn't travel the world to know nothing," he said with a wink, "and you can call me Jiraiya. Sir makes me feel old." He proceeded to laugh mirthfully, and Sakura couldn't help breaking into a smile at this.

"Jiraiya-san. It's nice to meet you. I've got so many –"

"My, my Sakura-chan. You're exactly as Tsunade described."

His smile was warm, and she felt her breath catch in her throat.

"You…you know Tsunade-shishou?"

Another wink. "As I said, I didn't travel the world to know nothing."

She watched wide-eyed as he pulled out a scroll and laid it flat on the table.

"A map?"

"Not just any map, Sakura. It's one that will take you home."

"Home? I…can go home?"

Jiraiya smiled as he watched the idea unfold in her head, her smile now so wide he wondered if her cheeks hurt, and the beginnings of tears prickling at her eyes. A tickle in his chest soon became a hearty laugh. This girl was as expressive as Tsunade had promised. Her broadening smile told him that hope was blooming inside of her.

"Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She couldn't stop her squeal of delight, and she felt lightheaded with giddiness and her cheeks were flushed from the anticipation.

She watched with eager eyes as Jiraiya directed her to where she needed to go. A rocky cliff by Iwa that was full of rock pools and lagoons, one frequently visited by Kakashi. There, he would be able to help her.

"Kakashi-oji? You know him too?" Sakura was unable to contain her grin. She had never dreamed of meeting anybody related to the ocean, but here she was, in a stranger's tent, with a man who radiated warmth and kindness, helping her in her journey. If he knew Tsunade-shishou and Kakashi-oji, she knew she could trust him.

Jiraiya quirked an eyebrow at her. "And they told me you were smart! Should I tell you again, Sakura-chan?"

She laughed, and it was pleasant and melodic, and he watched with delight as her eyes lit up. He wondered how long it had been since she had laughed so honestly. The sadness in her eyes when they had first met told him that it had been too long.

"Hai, hai. You didn't travel the world to know nothing," she said dismissively.

"That's right. Now, the journey to Iwa will take you roughly two days. Three at most. And from there, you'll have to make your way to the Dairiseki Cliffs, and once you're there you'll have to scale down the cliffs to reach the lagoons."

"But how do I get to Iwa?"

"Your only choice is to take a ship there. There's one leaving tomorrow. It's not the safest option, but the next best doesn't leave in that direction until two weeks' time. If you want to get on the ship tomorrow, let me know and I can make arrangements."

What did she have to lose? She had nothing here. Sasuke didn't want her in his life, and she couldn't burden Naruto, Itachi, Obito and Shisui by keeping in touch with them. Not when she was declared an enemy of the Uchiha. Hiro would understand her sudden departure. She was sure he would if she told him that she could finally go home to her family.

"I won't lie to you, Sakura. This journey won't be an easy one, but it will definitely bring you home if you succeed."

"Well…didn't Tsunade-shishou tell you I'm a tough girl?" She puffed out her chest, eyes radiating with confidence. She would do anything to go home.

He placed a large, warm hand on her head and ruffled her hair. He sighed inwardly. It didn't take a genius to know what Orochimaru had done. He eyed the fading yin seal on her forehead, mouth twisting downwards in a frown. She didn't have much time left, and he hoped that she was as strong as she believed she was.

"All right, I'll get you some papers sorted. You'll have to try not to draw too much attention to yourself, I'm sure you understand the dangers of travelling alone and looking as beautiful as you do."

Surprise widened his eyes as she leaned over their tiny table to wrap her arms around his neck, sniffing loudly in his ear as he patted her shoulder awkwardly.

"Thank you, Jiraiya."

There was a warmth bubbling in his chest, and he wondered if this was what it felt like to have a child.

…

"Sasuke-sama. Naruto-kun. What can I do for you?"

Their eyes widened at the lavender rhombus in the middle of his forehead, and Sasuke's heartbeat quickened. Was that…Sakura's?

His dark eyes narrowed, and he clenched his fists until his knuckles bleached white in an attempt to remain silent. They had discussed how they were going to approach this, and Sasuke swore he wouldn't let his emotions get the better of him.

Naruto stepped forward, eyes hard.

"Orochimaru, under suspicions of your collusion against the throne, and the manipulation of the mermaid Haruno Sakura, you are hereby stripped of your status as scientific researcher, village advisor, and magus for the Uchiha clan, and all of the privileges that come with it. We will be taking you into T&I for further investigation."

Their eyes narrowed when his shoulders began to shake in silent laughter as he brought a hand to his face. Sliding it down slowly, his yellow eyes gleamed in the dimly lit room, almost snake-like in perverse eagerness, and Sasuke felt his breathing quicken when the rhombus on Orochimaru's forehead started glowing. He watched as Naruto took another step forward, arms stretching out to detain Orochimaru. He watched as his lips split into a grin that was almost Cheshire-like before he grabbed Naruto's shirt, pulling him close.

"I don't think so," he said before touching the glowing seal on his forehead with his free hand. Finally. He had waited too long for this. He had known since five years ago, when Itachi returned with a mermaid with the very same seal, that she was different to all the mermen he had seen and studied. He had watched her when she thought no one was watching, hands glowing green, prolonging her own lifespan. He had watched her struggle, trying to break through the glass she was encased in, cracks and fissures appearing every single time her seal glowed bright and intricate black markings extended from it. He had known then that the seal was a source of power. After she had finally succumbed to her parting from the sea, he had dissected every inch of her, desperate to learn more about her prowess. He had scoured through every resource available, until he finally found a small paragraph about the legendary Strength of a Hundred Seal. A seal that was reputed to be the pinnacle of the sea's power. It was something that only existed in legends, the user harnessing the sea's power for strength and healing abilities.

He had been honestly surprised when he laid his eyes on Sakura. She, just like the last mermaid, bore the seal he had coveted for the last five years. Orochimaru hadn't expected to acquire the seal this quickly, but she had really made it too easy for him. It wasn't difficult to see her infatuation with Sasuke, and it was no secret that Karin harboured feelings for him as well. Manipulating the two of them had been too easy. The hard part was giving her legs, but he was thankful for the years of research he had put into all the previous specimens. Karin, so blinded by her obsession with Sasuke, had helped him with his experiments, getting him new test subjects without drawing suspicion to him.

He let out a chuckle of delight. Scientific researcher. Village advisor. Magus. That was all the Uchiha had believed he was. He had been around since the days of Uchiha Madara, the founder of the Uchiha clan. He had studied magic under the tutelage of a renowned sorcerer, along with two others who, although were powerful, did not develop a hunger for power like he did. They cast him out of the society when Uchiha Madara had stumbled across him and his experiments. Uchiha Madara was foolish to think that he could be saved. Instead of sentencing him to death like the society requested, Madara had given him the option of serving the Uchiha to make up for his crimes. Under his watchful eye, he had served the Uchiha. He was sentenced to years of hard labour before he was finally deemed trustworthy enough to start healing the sick where medicine failed and giving input on the growth and development of the village. He was treated like a prisoner, passed down as a tool from generation to generation, his only purpose to serve the Uchiha to atone for his sins. Orochimaru scoffed inwardly. The Uchiha had been too naïve. How could they expect someone who felt no remorse or guilt to atone? He had played his part well, obeying orders and playing the perfect servant, and with their increasing trust it had been easy to start his experiments again.

As the seal on his forehead continued to glow, black markings spread across his face and wrapped around his body. He could feel power surging through his body, and he lifted Naruto up and off the ground, and relished in this new-found strength.

"You really are pathetic, Naruto-kun."

Ignoring Naruto's hands that come up to stop him, Orochimaru pulled his fist back with as much strength as he could muster, and his blow sent Naruto reeling backwards before he crashed into Sasuke.

He laughed, giddy from the disbelief in their eyes as they picked themselves up. He flexed his fists as they approached him. He had only learnt to harness his new powers, and from what he had figured out, he had a time limit, that although steadily increased day by day, was nowhere enough to defeat both Naruto and Sasuke if they worked together. He would have to make this quick.

Sasuke's eyes glazed red as his mind drifted back to a conversation he had with Orochimaru. He cursed. How could he have been so stupid? So ignorant? Orochimaru had told him that he had taken the power of her seal, but Sakura had been fine, she hadn't mentioned anything about it and so he had let it go. While he had always been intrigued by the diamond on her forehead, he hadn't questioned her when she had told him it was simply a mark of her birth right. His lips twisted downwards. But she had trusted Naruto enough to tell him the truth about her seal. He cursed. Who was he to judge her, when he himself had been so quick to let her go without giving her the opportunity to defend herself? He grit his teeth as he drew out his katana. There would be time to fix things. Now, they had to defeat Orochimaru.

He brought his sword down, swinging it overhead and forcing Orochimaru to duck. He didn't need to tell Naruto to bring his own down to aim for Orochimaru's blind spot; they knew each other's moves like the back of their own hands. Years of sparring and fist bumping and training ensured that their teamwork would always be flawless. Surprise rippled through them as Orochimaru's hands came up to block their blades, shoving them backwards with pure force alone. Dread filled their stomachs as they watched his injured hands glow green and the open wounds slowly knit themselves back together. Sasuke and Naruto renewed their attack, this time hammering their blades down quicker, but Orochimaru countered each and every one of their moves. Not to be deterred, Naruto kicked out a leg while Orochimaru blocked another hit from Sasuke, and satisfaction coursed through his veins as Orochimaru lost balance and tumbled to the ground. Their victory was short lived as he rolled heels over head until he ended up in a crouch, smiling. Naruto and Sasuke circled him, blades poised.

"Give up now, and there might still be hope for you, sick bastard." Naruto couldn't comprehend the sudden growth in Orochimaru's power. When Sakura had told him about her seal, he hadn't imagined it to be this powerful. He wasn't surprised when Orochimaru laughed mockingly, and the three of them fell into another series of attacks and dodges. Sasuke's attacks were getting closer and closer to Orochimaru, fuelled by his anger. Naruto took advantage of Orochimaru's attention on Sasuke and whirled behind him, arms coming up under his armpits to hold him in a deadlock. Sasuke's left arm shot up to grab Orochimaru by the throat immediately, his right bringing his katana down in an overhead arc to finish him. Naruto wasn't prepared for Orochimaru to rock his head backwards, butting his head against his brow and he cursed as his head throbbed and his vision swam, forcing him to relinquish his hold.

With a grunt of effort, Orochimaru shoved all his weight forward, and delighted in the way he caught Sasuke by surprise. He felt Sasuke's katana cut through his shoulder like butter, blood staining his shirt but grinned as he immediately felt the healing effects of the seal. This was too easy.

"My turn now, Sasuke-sama." He cocked his fist backwards, taking in Sasuke's expression of pain as his fist connected with his gut, then his cheek, and he ducked to dodge Naruto's swiping katana from the back.

Before he could revel in his triumph, he found himself thrown backwards, breath knocked out of his lungs as he slammed into the wall so hard it crumbled around him. He groaned, and the way his lungs rattled with his intake of breath told him his ribs were broken. The surprise on his face was evident as gleaming yellow looked up into familiar honey blonde eyes. He hissed when she closed a hand around his throat, holding him in place. What was she doing here?

"Is there a reason for the indecorous behaviour?" Itachi asked casually from behind her, the slightest narrowing of his eyes the only sign of his annoyance.

In the background, Sasuke and Naruto picked themselves off the ground. His lips thinned when he realised just how close he had been to defeating them.

"Tsunade? What are you doing here?" he sneered, blatantly ignoring Itachi.

Tsunade scoffed. "There's a difference between forced loyalty and true loyalty. Uchiha Madara might have believed that he could force you into submission, but Jiraiya and I know you better than that." She simmered in her anger for several seconds before exhaling through her nose. She had been complacent. In Sakura, she saw a glimpse of herself. She saw what she had loved and what she had lost, and she didn't want Sakura to live a life not knowing what it was like too love. So she had let her pursue her desires, hoping that Katsuyu would keep her out of danger. But she hadn't expected Sakura to release Katsuyu so early on.

"You're Tsunade?"

She turned her attention to Sasuke. So this was the boy Sakura loved. She sighed. That silly girl of hers.

"Sasuke. You two haven't met, but please address her as Senju-sama."

"No, Itachi. It's fine. Your brother has a lot of explaining to do."

"Nii-san. How do you know her? Did you know that she's –"

"A mermaid? Knows Sakura? Of course I do."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hi guys, I hope you enjoy this one. Please read and review!

…

He squeezed his fists a little tighter as he watched her down another glass of sake. Naruto was drinking just as much as she was, cheeks tinted pink, and Obito and Shisui were engaged in a drinking competition at the other end of the table. Itachi looked unaffected, placidly nursing his own glass of sake, and Sasuke ground his teeth. It was like everyone knew something he didn't. He could almost feel Tsunade grin at his frustration. He shook his head. Weren't they supposed to be talking about Sakura? He was anxious to get to her, but Tsunade had insisted that they discuss their problems over sake. "You can leave tomorrow," she had said.

He ran his hands through his hair. Could Sakura really wait another day for him? He wasn't sure, but there was a nagging feeling in his heart that told him the sooner he got to her, the better. Wincing at the sudden laughter, he looked up to find Tsunade's honey blonde eyes staring directly at him, and the diamond on her forehead reminded him so painfully of Sakura. "Stop looking so surly, brat."

Sasuke's brows knit together in annoyance. "Then can we start talking?" he asked through grit teeth.

Tsunade's gleeful expression turned into a scowl. She set her now empty glass down, and was pleased when Itachi moved to refill it. She knew how Sasuke felt about Sakura. Itachi's stories of their time together told a tale of love. But as much as he loved Sakura, he was naïve. And stupid. Chasing Sakura away because he was afraid of facing the truth. A thousand questions ran through her head and a sourness churned in her stomach as she contemplated if he really was the one for Sakura. But if Sakura had gone as far as trading her tail for him, she knew that her pupil knew that he was the one. Sakura had always let her heart guide her, and Tsunade knew that once her heart decided on what it wanted and who it loved, there would be no turning back.

Sakura was like a daughter to her. She wistfully recalled days when she would train her, the pride she felt when Sakura had mastered a skill, and the thrill and excitement that thrummed in her entire being when they sneaked out of the palace to explore. Perhaps she did have a part to play in Sakura's desire to see the world. Tsunade had never been shy to tell her of the human world, of the things she saw and the people she met and the love she found. She took her to forbidden sites in the ocean, away from her parents' watchful eyes, and she smiled at the way Kakashi had somehow always managed to find them.

Feigning casualness, she said, "That depends. Why should I help you? You've chased her out of your home, made her an enemy of the Uchiha. You didn't trust her, neither did you respect her enough to ask her for the truth. And Kami knows that she deserves better than that."

Sasuke looked away in shame and his throat began to close up. A tight knot of nausea almost overcame him and he quickly downed his glass of sake, relishing the way it burned his throat. Sasuke knew that he didn't deserve her. He thought about how Sakura must have felt. The pain, the betrayal, the hurt and the anger. Did she resent him? Hate him? His heart ached for her. He wondered, despite what Naruto had said, if she really wanted to see him. If she could still love him. How could she, after what he'd put her through?

His dark eyes rose to meet hers and she was taken aback by the intensity of his expression.

"I know. But if she'll have me back, I'll do everything in my power to make things right. And I will spend the rest of my life trying to become the man she deserves."

Tsunade could see how tightly his jaw was clenched, how tense and rigid his shoulders were, and it wasn't difficult to see the guilt weighing heavily on his chest. A warmth bubbled in her chest as she reassessed Sasuke's feelings for Sakura.

"You must be feeling like shit right now, what with the way you've treated her. I wonder if she's found another nice young man who will take care of her. Cherish her and love her, even." The words had barely bled through her lips when she found herself on the receiving end of his scathing glare.

Sasuke glowered at her, but his frown fell and his eyes darkened as he contemplated her words. Sakura did deserve more. She was beautiful, smart, funny, kind, and honest, and he knew that any man who wasn't blind would be drawn to her the moment they met her. It wouldn't be hard for her to find someone who could offer her everything she wanted and more, but Sasuke was selfish, and the idea of her being with another man caused his frown to deepen.

Tsunade was pleased when she saw how lonely Sasuke looked. His whole expression screamed out sorrow and regret, and she almost felt bad for taunting him.

"Make her cry again and I will break every single bone in your body," she warned with as much cold wrath as she could muster. Would he fear her strength? He had seen her slam Orochimaru into the wall and break his ribs with just her pinky.

She watched as the tightness in his shoulders left and he looked at her with a slightly surprised and incredulous look in his eyes. He understood.

"I know," he said, lips quirking into a smirk.

"Good. If I were you, I'd try not to fuck it up again."

…

Sakura loved the ocean. Although she wasn't in it, being in its vicinity helped. Inhaling the briny aroma and feeling the salty sprays against her skin stabilised her thoughts and grounded her to a place where nothing else mattered. She closed her eyes and smiled. Home. What she had once thought to be an intangible dream had suddenly became so tangible, it was overwhelming.

Her hold on the rusty metal railings tightened until her knuckles were white as the ship rocked roughly against the waves. It was an old ship, nothing like Sasuke's Kusanagi. She remembered how sleek and beautiful it looked, rising boldly above the waters, somewhat resembling an immense black serpent sleeping in the midst of the waves. This ship Jiraiya got her on had no visible name; it was faded, much like the rest of the chipping paint on its body. Rust rippled and burst through every surface and a few flags that were only a little more than rags fluttered from a mast, any trace of their original colour faded long ago.

Shock graced her features when an arm on her shoulder roughly pulled her backwards. In front of her were two of the roughest looking men she had ever seen. They were filthy, their clothes were coated in a concoction of grime and sweat and she forced herself not to gag as she inhaled the pungency radiating off them. Their faces were unkempt, with roughly trimmed beards and dirty and dishevelled hair, and she wondered when they last cleaned themselves. Both men had their arms exposed, strong, mature muscles showing, as if to intimidate, and their faces were battle hardened. The man withdrew his arm from her shoulder, leering down at her.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" he asked in a raspy voice, lazily crossing his arms across his chest.

"Looks like a little hen without a cock. Looks like she could do with one," the other man sneered maliciously.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. She had allowed herself to be weak for far too long, depending only on Sasuke and everyone else around her. What would Kakashi and Tsunade say if they could see her? Her mother would be disappointed if she knew that Sakura had allowed herself to be reduced to nothing more than a weak woman. She watched as they looked her over as if she was a piece of meat. The loose clothing Jiraiya had given her kept her body out of sight, but it didn't stop them from undressing her with their eyes, cracked lips twisting into lecherous smirks. She had expected this, Jiraiya had warned her as much. But it didn't mean that she had to sit back and tolerate it.

One of them inched closer to her, leaning his face into the smooth skin of the crook of her neck before inhaling deeply.

"You sure smell good," he grinned, and Sakura resisted the urge to vomit all over him. Her brows knit together and her nostrils flared as she regarded them with disgust.

"If you don't remove yourself right now, I'll make sure you regret it."

The man took a step back and straightened himself. His grin dropped and his brows drew together until the expression on his face was as malicious Sasuke's when he was angry. She felt a pang in her chest when she reminded herself that Sasuke's angry expression had been directed at her.

"I'm going to wash your mouth out, bitch," he spat before lunging himself at her. Sakura side stepped his attack and watched as the man was thrown off balance as he unexpectedly flew past her. He caught onto the railing and regained his footing before spinning around to glare at her. His lips lifted in a snarl and he dove again, and this time he managed grasped a handful of her pink hair, gripping it tightly in his left hand. His right hand balled into a tight fist, ready to shatter her cheekbone and Sakura thrust her left elbow violently into his face. The sickening snap that followed told her she had more than likely broke his nose, and it was enough for him to release his grip on her, grasping at his broken nose instead as blood gushed out of it.

Sakura's eyes burned fiercely with defiance as they met his, and the other man rushed to his aid.

"You'll pay for this, you little bitch!"

He lunged at her, arms stretching out to grab her and she was surprised when another hand clamped down on his wrist, halting his hand just mere inches from her neck.

She looked up to see another man, who although looked just as rough around the edges, was more presentable than the two who had just assaulted her.

"Taichou, what are you –"

"Enough, Yiruma. Take Kuzo and get out of my sight."

Sakura watched as Yiruma complied without hesitation, hoisting Kuzo up. His eyes narrowed when they met hers for the final time before he excused himself. The man who had come to her rescue casually turned to face her and regarded her with an expression she couldn't quite decipher.

"Your only saving grace is that you have Jiraiya-sama's name written all over you. It will do you well to remember that."

She felt the heat travel from her cheeks to her ears, and she seethed. She tipped her head upwards, green eyes hazed over with disgust.

"Well maybe if you taught your men how to behave, they wouldn't have found themselves in that situation."

She was satisfied with the shock that crossed his features, but before he could say anything to her, she turned and casually made her way to her cabin.

Just as she rounded the corner, she heard him say, "Jiraiya-sama or not, if you're not careful, you might not see Iwa when this ship docks."

…

Sasuke lay awake, staring at the patterns of the moonlight on the ceiling of his room. He couldn't sleep. So many thoughts were tumbling around in his head and it hurt to think.

Tsunade had enlightened him on her history with Orochimaru, and had told him about a man named Jiraiya. Sasuke found it hard to believe that Tsunade came to Konoha frequently to convene with Itachi, discussing Orochimaru's situation and keeping an eye on him. From Sakura's stories, Tsunade traded her tail for legs once a month and spent it drinking sake. He snorted. No wonder Itachi was so comfortable around her. He had watched as his brother refilled her glass with sake all night long. He frowned, wondering why he wasn't trusted enough to be informed of diplomatic matters, or be told the truth about Orochimaru. He knew that as the older brother, Itachi was given more responsibilities relating to the clan and to Konoha, and Sasuke's main responsibilities were to maintain their military power, but it was exhausting to continually be left in the dark. He wondered if knowing the truth about Orochimaru might have changed the decisions he made regarding and around Sakura.

He sighed, trying to clear his head. Tomorrow, he would set sail for Iwa and hopefully correct the biggest mistake he'd made in his life.

"You're very fortunate then, that I know about Sakura's plans. About how, as we speak, she's on a ship to Iwa, where she will have to make her way up some of the biggest cliffs, and down them to reach these lagoons…just think of how dangerous that would be, for someone who hasn't had legs for long. I certainly wouldn't want Sakura to get hurt in the process, just because some thick headed caveman didn't use his tiny brain before making the stupidest decision in his life." Tsunade had lazily drawled over a glass of sake, clear honey eyes long glazed over.

"And you can trust me when I say this, because I, the legendary Tsunade, am a very upstanding individual, that I will break every single bone in your body, skin you alive, and then feed you to the sharks in the ocean if you don't bring her back safe and sound."

Sasuke had let the insults slide as his brain went into overdrive, already mapping out his journey.

Thinking of her made his body fraught with tension and his heart beat wildly in his chest, both in anticipation and fear. He had imagined their reunion time and time again, each time playing out different scenarios. Would Sakura embrace him? Would she be crying? Would she slap him with all the strength she had or would she punch the living daylights out of him? He didn't know, but he couldn't wait to find out. He would make her understand how sorry he was, and he would show her that he would never hurt her again. He would never doubt her again. He had taken the easy way out, because anger and hatred had been easier to stagger beneath than the notion of her lying to him. It had been easier to protect himself by lashing out with anger and hatred rather than feel the slow, aching strangulation he knew he would feel if the accusations were true.

He sighed for the umpteenth time and closed his heavy eyelids, trying to quiet the jumble of thoughts in his head. He had a very long next few days ahead of him, and he wanted to be ready for anything.

…

From the harbour, she could see the cliffs Jiraiya mentioned. The giant palisades rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone and marble glinted dazzlingly in the sun. It looked insurmountable, and she quickly shut out the doubt that was beginning to form. She didn't know how she would make it up the cliffs and down to the lagoons that lay below it, but she would be damned if she didn't try her hardest.

Her head throbbed violently as she steeled herself and made her way into town. Jiraiya had told her about the sweet cakes Iwa was famous for, and she wanted to make the most out of her time on land before she returned home. Sasuke or no Sasuke, she would still have her fill of adventure.

After checking into a small inn in the centre of town, she found herself in a little dango shop, its faded blue benchtops and the sticky sweet smell of dango reminding her painfully of Konoha. Sakura mumbled a small thank you as the waiter set down a few plates of cakes before eyeing her warily. She had ordered every flavour that caught her eye. Sighing heavily, she lifted her fork and began to eat out her heartache. She felt the heaviness in her chest lift a little when the soft, spongy texture of the cake melted in her mouth.

She thought about Sasuke, and his dark eyes that made her lose her ability or desire to blink every time she stared into them. She thought about how his firm hand held hers, about how the sides of his mouth would lift up when he saw her. She missed him, so much. Her hold on the fork tightened as she reprimanded herself. She reminded herself that Sasuke didn't want her. Despite what Naruto had said, and how much her heart wanted to believe it, Sasuke wasn't coming for her. She had toyed with the idea of staying in Shiro to see if he would come for her, knowing full well that Naruto would have disclosed her location regardless of the promise he made her, but she knew that her heart couldn't take the disappointment if he didn't come. So she had left for Iwa as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

But Sasuke…she loved him. With all her heart. And she knew that if he did somehow find her, she would forgive him without hesitation. Because her heart was big enough for the two of them. She forcefully swallowed past the dry lump that had wedged in her throat, washing it down with a cup of hot tea before resuming her cake testing. Sasuke wouldn't come for her, but she would still find her way home. She would never forget him, but she could live without him.

…

From her lungs she exhaled a large puff of air that appeared as a cloud of mist before her face. Jiraiya had not warned her about how cold it would be in Iwa. She sat on the porch of her room, wrapped up in a woollen blanket, hot cup of tea steaming and comforting between her palms. She stared up at the night sky, mesmerised by how bright the stars and the moon were out here, and she wondered if their brilliance reflected in her own jade eyes. The milky speckles twirled and danced along the pitch black sky in patterns, and the corners of her lips tugged upwards in a small smile.

She was startled when she felt her cheeks wet with tears. Somehow, under the millions of stars and the beautiful moon, she could almost feel Sasuke's presence beside her. If she closed her eyes, she would be able to feel his heart beating strongly against her back, hear the soft exhales of his breaths. But underneath the millions of stars, she also felt like everything would be okay. Like they would somehow illuminate the darkness in her life. Her worries burned away, and for the first time in a long time, she forgot her pain.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Hi guys, I hope you like this one. Please read and review! Much love, xx

…

Sakura splashed the cool tap water in her face. With her eyes tightly closed, she reached out blindly for the fluffy dark blue towel that dangled off the rail on her left, and pressed it firmly into her face. The dark blue of the towel reminded her of Sasuke, and she immediately lowered it from her face, and raised her eyes to study her reflection in the mirror. The torrents of emotions showing on her face was overwhelming. All her thoughts and feelings she didn't want anyone else to see was reflected back at her, revealing it to anyone who looked her in the eyes. Hurt, neglect, betrayal. Regret, sadness, loneliness. Desire, longing, disappointment. But there was also anger.

She wasn't sure if she was angry at herself or Sasuke. At Sasuke? Because he hadn't trusted her enough to open up to her, to tell her what was wrong, before he asked her to leave. Because if he really loved her, how could he want to be without her? Was he really sorry, like Naruto had tried to convince her? Then why hadn't he come for her?

But she knew that truthfully, she was angry at herself. She had always prided herself on being strong. Growing up, she had proved to her parents and everyone else around her that she wasn't a typical mermaid, who collected seashells in the safety of their world. She had always been adventurous and brave, had always followed her heart and it had never once led her astray. But Sasuke had reduced her to what she was now. Sad, lonely, heartbroken. She was angry at herself because even though her head told her to get over him, her heart told her otherwise.

Her stomach plummeted with her mood. She didn't understand why things turned out the way they did. When she had met Sasuke for the first time, she had been so sure. And during their time together, he had always made her feel like she'd made the right choice. Giving up her tail and the ocean was like giving up a part of her. How could he not see the sacrifice she had made for him? And why had she made a sacrifice like that without giving it more thought?

She shook her head, splashing her face with the cool water again, before burying her face in the fluffy blue towel once more. She took five deep breaths before she raised her head to look at her reflection again.

She had made up her mind. Sakura pushed back her shoulders, held her head high, and took in another long, deep breath before releasing it slowly, as if it would help her let go of all the hurt and regret she carried.

She was nearly home. All she had to do was make her way through the forest, climb up the cliffs and down again, and she would be able to go home. The journey ahead of her would be difficult, that much she knew, and she couldn't afford to dwell on what her heart wanted, knowing that it wasn't obtainable. She would keep a piece of Sasuke with her, always, but it didn't mean that she could spend her whole life wondering about the what-could-have-beens.

…

The landscape was beginning to change dramatically as she drew closer to the cliffs. As she moved further into the enigmatic forest that she knew nothing about, the previously gentle slopes began to rise out of the earth, gaining height and texture the farther she went. The lush greens of the plentiful foliage that surrounded her gradually became sparser, and the hue of the landscape began changing to a pallid grey as forest cleared and flat ground turned into hills, and then proceeded to grow into cliffs.

As she drew closer, she began to study the mammoth cliffs that looked down over her from high above. When she finally stood before the cliff face, a loud gasp involuntarily escaped her. She had never seen such a beautiful sight. The intense glare of the sun reflecting off the incandescent marble made her realise why these cliffs were called the Dairiseki Cliffs.

As she thought about the daunting task she had ahead of her, a small part of her wished that Sasuke was by her side. She imagined the warmth of his hand in hers, thumb rubbing soothing circles over hers, as if to tell her that everything would be okay.

Her brow knitted as she stopped her train of thought. She couldn't afford to dwell on Sasuke. Not right now, when she would need her strength the most. Thinking of him now would only make it harder to leave.

She brought her hands to her chest in a silent prayer. She was so close. She couldn't afford to turn back now. With a deep breath, she wrapped her fingers around the first cold, rocky outcrop, gripping onto it firmly. She wedged her foot into an opening, and determination coursed through her as she began to pull herself up, one hand hold and one foot hold at a time.

…

Sasuke dismounted his horse as he reached the end of the forest. Ahead of him lay a vast expanse of grey-blue stone. A thud next to him announced Naruto dismounting his horse, letting out a low whistle as he surveyed the jagged cliffs.

"Sakura-chan's pretty strong to even attempt that."

"Hn." He continued to study the rocky obstacle course before them, briefly wondering how Sakura managed to climb up there. His lips lifted up in a small smirk. She was a strong girl. He had heard from the dock manager at Iwa that the ship Sakura was supposedly on had arrived yesterday. The Sakura he knew would have explored the village, stuffed her stomach with the delicacies Iwa had to offer, then have a good night's sleep before making her journey. It wasn't difficult to confirm his thoughts; someone who looked like she did was sure to draw attention everywhere she went. Deep down, Sasuke was pleased that she hadn't changed.

He had forced his crew and Kusanagi to navigate the ocean at breakneck speed, and they had arrived in Iwa only two hours ago. He had left the rest of his crew behind in Iwa, giving them the opportunity to recuperate from the lack of sleep and harsh journey he had put them through. He cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. Sakura would've trekked the forest on foot, but using horses to get through would have cut the travel time in half. By his calculations, Sakura should only be three or four hours ahead of him at most.

He stretched his arms and legs as he contemplated his next move. "Dobe, you stay down here with the horses. I need you to conserve your energy, just in case something goes wrong."

Naruto snorted. "Just go get her, teme."

...

As she reached the summit, her breath caught in her throat. She had never seen anything like this. Sakura wiped the light sheen of sweat off her forehead as she looked down at the world below. On one side, the cliffs dropped directly to meet the ocean, and on the other, she could see past the forest and all the way to Iwa and further. The long, tedious incline up the cliffs had been worth it. She had stumbled over rocks and slipped on pebbles, she had cuts and grazes everywhere and her muscles were sore and crying out for rest, but the indescribable joy and relief she felt now made up for it all.

Deciding that she could spare a few minutes to rest and take in the beauty around her, she sat on the edge of the cliff, legs dangling, and thought about home. Home had always been the ocean. But somewhere along the way, she had been told that "Home is where the heart is." She placed a hand gingerly on her chest, feeling the thumping of her steady heart. Where was her heart? Did Sasuke still have her heart, even though they were no longer together? Or did it now belong to the ocean?

…

Dark eyes watched as Haruno Kizashi swam around his throne in circles. Kakashi sighed. He could tell Kizashi was furious, smouldering under his stony expression.

"Kizashi, you need to calm down."

"Calm down? How can you tell me to calm down? Sakura has been missing for months! And look at what she's gotten herself into!"

"What's life without a little adventure? Sometimes you get hurt along the way, but it's not always bad."

Anger boiled deep in his system, churning and hungry.

"Hurt? She could have died, Kakashi. Can you not see the severity of this situation?"

Kakashi had come to him with information on Sakura, and the very thought of her made his blood boil. Had he not impressed on her how important it was that she stayed within her boundaries? She had been missing for months, and he had only just found out that she had traded her tail for legs. Her incredulous actions made him want to wreak havoc. Kizashi had always known that being around Tsunade was bad for his daughter. Had it not been for his late wife's insistence, Sakura would never have been allowed to be under Tsunade's tutelage. He knew about her little escapades, about her fascination with the human world, and he cursed. He should never have listed to Mebuki.

"Kizashi, I need you to calm down. You're causing a storm up there, and I have to go see Sakura-chan soon."

His lips lifted in a snarl. "She doesn't deserve to come home the easy way. Sakura needs to be punished. I've let her get away with too much, and this is the last straw."

Kakashi frowned. "You know she doesn't have a tail right now, there's no way she'll manage."

Kizashi scoffed. Sakura was a Haruno, and whether she had a tail or not, she would always be his daughter, would always belong to the sea. And the sea never deserted its own. Kakashi's concern for his daughter made him feel guilty. He loved Sakura too. She was all he had left, and he didn't want to make things harder for her, but she needed to be taught a lesson.

"Sakura is a daughter of the sea, no harm will come to her. She'll be fine."

…

Dread started to fill her when the wind picked up and the sky gradually became darker, ominous black clouds hanging low, heavy with rain. Her heart thrummed wildly in her chest as she stole a glance at the waves below her. She still had a long way down, and the once still waters were now choppy, the lagoon barely visible in the swirl of the waves. She closed her eyes for courage when the first crack of lightning lit up the sky in a streak of hot silver, and within seconds the rolling boom of thunder reverberated overhead. Sakura cursed her luck when rain started to fall, slowly at first, before cascading down on her like a waterfall.

She briefly wondered if her father had been responsible for the storm. She could tell from the wrath of the waves and the merciless downpour that this storm was no ordinary storm. But it couldn't be her father…not when he knew she was coming. Was this his way of showing her how angry and disappointed he was? Her lips twisted downwards in a small frown and a numbing coldness gripped her heart. Of course he would be hurt. She was all he had left.

Her clothes and hair clung to her skin and she began to feel the chill from the icy rain seep through her skin. Sakura renewed her effort, trying to ignore the fear that weaved through her stomach every time her grip on the cliff slipped and rocks fell away beneath her feet.

…

Thick, icy sheets of rain obscured Sasuke's vision. He needed to find her. He looked down at the sea beneath the cliffs, any signs of the lagoons long gone as the sea level rose, rough waves smashing against the cliffs, anger in the form of water, turbulent and unforgiving.

There was no way Sakura would be able to navigate herself down safely, not when he himself was having a hard time. The fear and desperation that the thought of Sakura in danger wrought in him was unbearable. He felt an overwhelming desire to protect her and swallowed against the uneasy swoop in his stomach.

His eyes squinted to see through the rain, and when he finally spotted pink against marble, not too far from where he was, his heart soared.

"Sakura!"

He watched as her body froze, and when she looked up at him, emerald eyes wide with disbelief and a spark of something familiar, hope leaped inside of him. How could he have turned those eyes away? Had he really chased her away without even giving her a chance? Seeing her again after so long had immediately reminded him of how much he missed her. How could he have allowed the best thing in his life to slip away from him? How could he have denied them the opportunity to find out the truth? What had he ever done to deserve her in his life? Why…was her heart big enough to accept him, to still want him, despite what he had done?

Realisation hit him in the face like a freight train, and now he couldn't comprehend how he had spent so long denying the truth. Uchiha Sasuke was in love Haruno Sakura. And Haruno Sakura was in love with Uchiha Sasuke. He needed her in his life. He had been a fool not to chase after her sooner. Agony clutched at his heart and self-loathing loomed when his name escaped her lips.

"Sa…Sasuke-kun?"

As their eyes locked, Sakura found that she was unable to say more than his name. A cold thrill ran through her. His eyes…they were still the same. Emotion welled up inside of her as she realised that Sasuke's eyes, the eyes that she had dreamed of when she lay in bed at night, the eyes that haunted her every waking breath, had not changed. The familiar warmth in his eyes as he drank her in made her heart want to burst. They were the eyes of Sasuke-kun, the man who had stolen her heart and told her he loved her. They weren't the angry, frightening eyes of the Sasuke she didn't understand. Her heart hammered in her chest and her breath left in a rush when realisation hit her like a ton of bricks.

Sasuke was here. And he had come for her.

Sasuke felt his muscles relax at the sound of her voice. Hearing her say his name had felt like she'd reached out and touched him, and he was suddenly overwhelmed by an inexplicable need to have her by his side, to feel her, to touch her, to assure himself that she was here. She looked a little worse for wear, her hair clung to her face in matted lumps and her clothes stuck to her body, and he could make out little scrapes and cuts here and there. Looking at her now, like this, only fuelled his yearning for her. His desire for her flowed through him, infecting his very soul. He was ready to give her everything she deserved and more.

"Don't move, Sakura. I'm coming to get you."

Warmth exploded in her chest as she forced her shaking hands to grip onto the slippery surface a little tighter.

Between crashing waves and lashing of rain on her skin, Sakura watched as Sasuke manoeuvred himself expertly towards her.

"O…okay."

…

A fraction of a second was all it took.

A fraction of a second, and her hold on the marble slackened.

A fraction of a second, and Sakura was dangling from the cliff with just her left hand, barely holding on.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he watched her grip on the marble slip and her feet lose their hold, her eyes widening with unadulterated fear as her right arm and legs flailed around to grab on to anything that would anchor her to the cliff face. But he could tell she was exhausted, her breathing was laboured and her face was red from exhaustion. He cursed as the wind picked up.

"Hang on Sakura, I'm coming!"

His legs shook as he made his way down to her as fast as he could. He felt sick to his stomach and sweat had broken out across his brow. He was so close.

"Sakura! Take my hand!"

He held out his left hand to her, heart hammering in his chest as she tried to pull herself up higher with her left hand, right hand reaching up desperately.

Sakura could feel her muscles gradually weakening, her left arm forced to carry all of her weight against the wind and rain.

Time seemed to crawl to a slow stop as Sasuke watched her right arm come up towards his outstretched hand. She was so close. He felt her fingers brush his. Once, twice, before falling out of his reach. And then she let out a blood curling scream and he could barely hear himself screaming her name, voice laced with fear, as he watched her left hand lose its grip.

Before she could even comprehend what was happening, her muscles finally gave in and her hold on the rock loosened before letting go altogether. She watched as Sasuke desperately leaned down, trying to reach for her, and she didn't recognise the sound that was escaping her own lips. Sakura watched as the cliffs passed by her vision, and then all she could register was the sickening slap amidst the crashing waves followed by a stinging sensation throughout her whole body as she hit the ocean. Salty water filled her mouth, open from too much screaming, and bubbles burst from her mouth.

Her body continued to sink further and further from the surface, and then darkness clouded her vision. Fear coursed and pulsated wildly through her veins as she realised that she was drowning. Something, as a mermaid, she had never thought possible. She had always heard of sailors drowning at sea, had always wondered why they weren't able to swim and navigate themselves to safety, and now, she understood why. She had no control over her legs, forcing them to kick and flail around had done nothing to help her. Her legs were useless compared to her powerful tail that could have helped her cut through even the roughest waters with ease. Her dress didn't make it easier for her to move. It weighed her down, and she wondered if it played a part in dragging her down even faster.

She felt herself choke on the water that used to be her home. She couldn't breathe and her long, pink hair floated around her and Sakura couldn't tell which way was up and which way was down. Her strength continued to wane and her head pounded, every cell in her body screaming for oxygen, and it felt as if her head would explode. She began to feel the pressure of the water compressing her chest, lungs burning as if on fire and her throat seared in agony from all her screaming. Red and black spots danced in front of her, before black began to seep in at the edge of her vision, and she couldn't remember if her eyes were closed or open. Slowly, the commotion and chaotic sounds of the sea drowned out to a low hum, buzzing in her ears before gradually muting into silence, and she surrendered herself to the ocean. Was this what Jiraiya had meant, when he told her that going home was possible? She tried to take comfort in the fact that at least in death, she was home, cradled by the blue depths she had missed for so long.

How ironic, for a mermaid to drown. Her consciousness faltered and she gradually lost all feeling in her body, numb from the icy cold water. As she surrendered herself to sweet oblivion, she briefly wondered if Sasuke would come for her again.

Time didn't start again for Sasuke until she disappeared from his sight, swallowed by the rough waves beneath him.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Sorry for the super late update guys! Hope you enjoy this one and please review! xoxo

…

Sasuke began to feel lightheaded with terror as he stared helplessly into the swirling stormy sea below him. Memories of Sakura's smiling face surfaced in his mind – big, emerald doe eyes staring at him in wonder and curiosity when they met for the first time – the happiness that radiated from her when she stepped foot outside the confines of the castle for the first time – when she had her first taste of dango and couldn't stop moaning with delight – her fingers intertwining with his when they strolled along the beach – the tickle of her hair on his neck – love flooding in his chest when she kissed him goodnight – how she had clung to him when he made love to her, as though she understood how much she meant to him. Then an image of her too shiny tear filled eyes and downturned lips crept in, and Sasuke felt a powerful strength surge in him. He would not let that be his last memory of her, nor would he let her die thinking that he didn't love her. Because he did, with every fibre in his being.

Sasuke clung onto the ledge as his right hand reached for the flare gun strapped to his thigh. Naruto would know as soon as he saw the flare that they needed help. A small warmth bubbled in his chest as he thought of his best friend. Years of repetition ensured Sasuke that Naruto would not let him down. Naruto had always been there for him, had always shown him right from wrong and had never let his faith in Sasuke waver. He was glad that Naruto had insisted on coming with him this time. He knew that the blonde cared for Sakura just as much as he did, and they shared the same desire to protect her, to ensure that she was safe and happy. He frowned at the realisation that Naruto had managed to look out for her better than he did. Pulling out the flare gun, he fired once, before resting it on the ledge. Naruto would know what to do. Now, it was his turn to save Sakura.

He pulled himself up to stand on a narrow, flat surface, and took a deep breath as he looked at the raging sea below him. The wind whipped his hair in his face and his muscles were taut with poise. He closed his eyes, calmed his uneven breaths and pictured Sakura's smiling face. He needed to see her smile again. With his resolve set, Sasuke jumped. The cold air rushed past him as he accelerated faster and faster, and he closed his eyes as he felt his body hit the freezing water.

…

"Kuso!"

The flare jolted him out of his daydream. Naruto felt his heart jump in his throat as his brain registered the meaning of the bright flare in the sky. They were in trouble. He moved swiftly and quickly around Manda and Gamabunta, grabbing the gear from the horses. After slinging the ropes over his shoulder and across his body, Naruto sent a messily scrawled note to the ship crew in town. Never had he been so thankful for Sasuke's messenger hawk. It had been foolish of them to think that this would go without a hitch. Naruto and Sasuke had limited medical knowledge, and it had been stupid to leave Hinata, their medic behind in town with the rest of the crew. She was an integral part of their travels due to her knowledge in medicine and herbs and Naruto was sure that if Itachi was here, they would have been berated for their stupid decision to leave her behind. He could only pray that Sasuke's hawk would get to her in time, and that she'd know how to find them.

Sky blue eyes turned to the tower of marble that stood before him. Sweat made his hands slippery, so he shoved them inside his pockets and balled them into fists. His heart was racing. Climbing had never been his forte. Growing up with Sasuke and the Uchiha boys ensured him a childhood that was full of boyish rivalry, but no matter how much practice he had gotten in, he had always come last when it came to mountain climbing. He furrowed his brows. He had always come last, but it was certainly not from a lack of trying. And he certainly wasn't ready to give up today. Not when Sasuke and Sakura's life depended on him. Squaring his shoulders, Naruto began his climb.

…

The water churned and tossed wildly and made it impossible for Sasuke to gauge the depth. He squinted his eyes, trying to see through the diffuse glow of the ocean. The deeper he swam, the thicker the water felt due to the increasing pressure and his heart rate began to rise. It was impossible for him to find her like this, blinded with no sense of direction. How long had he been down here for? Minutes felt like hours as his chest began to constrict with the lack of oxygen and his head began to throb. Sasuke's eyes darted around wildly as he kicked his legs, trying to manoeuvre himself in water that was now too thick.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke caught a glimpse of something shimmering, and he renewed his efforts, legs kicking and arms moving in powerful strokes towards it. And then before he realised what was happening there was a powerful tug on his arm, and Sasuke found himself being pulled upwards, in a pace that was too fast and had his whole body on fire as it tried to adjust to the rapid change in pressure.

As soon as he broke through the surface, his lips parted and Sasuke drew in big gasps, hungry for air and his heart thrummed in his chest. Disoriented, he looked around, trying to gauge his surroundings. His eyes widened when he saw pink. Just a few feet away from him, Sakura was being lifted onto a small, rocky surface by a merman. He swam towards them with sure, fast strokes, and hauled himself up on the rock, too fixated on Sakura to pay heed to the merman still in the water.

She wasn't breathing. Emerald eyes that once danced with light were now half-lidded and vacant. Her once rosy complexion was now a pale grey, lips cold and blue and Sasuke resisted the urge to throw up. Sasuke desperately felt her neck for a pulse. When his shaky fingertips were met with silence, Sasuke felt a cold tingle of panic. He pressed his ear to her chest tightly, praying for the slowest of heartbeats.

Please, please, please, please, please.

Panic spiked into fear and he felt the beginnings of tears well up in the corner of his eyes, and against his will, his lips trembled.

"There is no hope for her, Sasuke."

He narrowed his eyes and turned to look at the merman.

"Who the fuck are you?"

Kakashi sighed, eyes still locked on to Sakura's still form. His stomach twisted at the pure rage and hurt in Sasuke's voice. Kakashi had hoped that Kizashi was right. The sea never harmed one of their own, but now, looking at Sakura, he knew that there was no hope left for her. Her yin seal was gone, and that was enough to tell Kakashi all he needed to know. He had been too late. The sea never forsake one of its own, but it also remembered those who forsake her. And Sakura had made the choice to abandon her home in exchange for adventures and freedom, and guilt ate away at Kakashi as he wondered if she ever came to realise that freedom was cruel. He closed his eyes, heart heavy with regret. He had hoped…had thought that he would be able to help her.

"Hatake Kakashi. Sakura was my favourite student. She…was like a daughter to me."

Sasuke felt his blood rush to his head at Kakashi's words and anger coursed through his veins, and if Kakashi was within reach he would have punched him in the face.

"This is how you treat your daughter? One of your own? You killed her!"

Kakashi laid a heavy hand on Sakura's legs that dangled over the rocks and into the water. His long sigh was laced with regret. He wondered what he'd done wrong in his life that he always ended up losing the people he cared about. "I didn't know about her seal," he said quietly. "If I had known…if I had stopped her from leaving in the first place –"

"Save it. I don't need to hear your bullshit."

Kakashi looked at Sasuke, eyes filled with shame. Grief surged through Kakashi with every expelled breath, threatening to consume him entirely. Twenty five years ago, he had known that the Uchiha would come for one of them. He had relayed that message to Kizashi immediately after Sasuke's birth. And yet…he hadn't thought to keep Sakura safe on Sasuke's twenty fifth birthday. Salty tears started to flow unchecked from his eyes, the sheer weight of guilt suddenly becoming too much. He killed Sakura. His fingers curled into tight fists as he thought about how preventable this was. He had known since Sakura was three that she was adventurous, curious. Always wanting to explore. And instead of dismissing her interests to keep her safe, he had encouraged her. He hadn't stopped her excursions with Tsunade, hadn't reported them to Kizashi. If he had been stricter, then perhaps…

Kakashi's shoulders sagged as he removed his hand from Sakura's legs. Legs. She had given up her home for those. Kakashi hoped that in death, Sakura was happy. He hoped that in her final moments, she hadn't regretted her actions. His eyes roamed over her until they reached her lifeless eyes. He could still see her, listening with eager eyes as he taught her about the ocean and her home. She had always been a fast learner, mastering her skills faster than anyone else he had taught. He closed his eyes and pictured her smile, full with mischief when he caught her and Tsunade out on one of their little adventures. He never had the chance to make sure she knew that he was proud of her. He had never told her how much he loved her. He never got to tell her that even though he was her teacher and her protector, first and foremost, she was the daughter he never had.

He glanced warily at Sasuke whose attention had returned to Sakura's lifeless body. He never would've imagined that things would turn out this way.

"You're right. I'll give you some time with her. I need to inform Kizashi."

Sasuke watched as Kakashi stared at Sakura's prone form longingly one last time before turning around and disappearing beneath the waves. He felt his anger melt away as his eyes went back to Sakura. He did this to her. If only he hadn't…he shuddered at the thought of what he'd done. He couldn't picture a world without Sakura. Not anymore. Not now that he knew what it was like when she smiled, her whole face lighting up with delight. Or when she laughed with unrestrained mirth that made him want to laugh too. Sasuke took in a deep breath as his survival instincts kicked in and he let cold, detached logic take over. His earliest childhood memories were made of days spent out at sea with his family, and it was instilled in him that he knew how to help someone who drowned. He had practised the routine many times over with Itachi and his cousins. The situation he found himself in now was no different, it was what he had practised for, and he suddenly felt a surge of gratitude for growing up around the sea. He could do this. Naruto was coming, and all he needed to do was to get her to breathe.

Sasuke tilted her head backwards, pinched the bridge of her nose and brought his lips to hers. Her lips were cold and chapped, nothing like the warm, soft lips he remembered, and as he gave her five breaths, he knew then that he would do anything for her to live. Drawing back, Sasuke placed his shaking hands in the middle of her chest and pressed down, counting one to thirty, each pump filled with desperation. Adrenaline surged through his veins as she remained unresponsive, and he leaned forward to give her another two breaths before repeating the compressions. Sasuke felt time slow to a crawl as he increased the force of his compressions. His limbs were beginning to feel heavy and his breathing was laboured.

Please.

She couldn't die now. Not when he had been so close to having her back. He had so much to tell her, still so much to show her and teach her and God – he would die for her.

He pulled away from her like she was on fire when he felt a rib break underneath his hands, the nauseating snap that accompanied it made him sick to his stomach. Sasuke pulled away from her and fell forward, hands braced on the ground as his shoulders heaved, the sounds of retching as he emptied his stomach drowned out by the crashing of waves against rock. But he couldn't stop now. He grit his teeth in frustration. Wish shaky hands he wiped his mouth and turned back to face her. Steeling himself, he repeated the process, over and over and over again until finally her body lurched forward and she began spluttering, water gurgling from her lips. His exhaustion forgotten, Sasuke hurriedly lifted her upright, one arm draped in front of her waist while the other lightly patted her back, hoping that this would be enough for her to start breathing. When her coughing stopped, Sasuke nervously felt for her pulse, and he didn't care to hide the way his breath shuddered out of him in relief. It was there – weak, slow – but it was there. An odd, floating emotion bubbled up within him.

Sasuke shifted them around until Sakura was nestled between his legs, head pressed tightly into his chest. His right arm wound around her waist protectively, his left buried in her hair, twisting strands of pink hair as he stroked her head and kissed her forehead softly. She was alive. For what felt like hours, Sasuke focused only on the sound of her quiet, short breaths, afraid that they would vanish like a cruel apparition sent to tease him. He knew now that he couldn't live without her. His heart felt like it was dangerously close to exploding, and he knew in an instant that he would never be whole if they weren't together.


	17. Chapter 17

Sakura felt a nudge to her ribs and she jerked awake, heart racing and head pounding. Where was she? Before she could take in her surroundings and gather her thoughts, she was pulled into a crushing embrace, big, strong arms wrapped protectively around her frail body. After the shock wore off came the familiarity – the hard, lean muscles that pressed into her softer frame – the heady warmth radiating off him - the smell of pine and fire – the sound of his heart beating in perfect harmony with hers.

Sasuke-kun.

It took her approximately a half of a second to realise she was in Sasuke's arms, and a further quarter of a second to realise that he was here, with her. Despite the heaviness in her stomach and the pounding in her head, her whole body melted into his, every muscle losing its tension. Even after everything, being in his arms still made her feel safe. In his embrace, the world stopped still on its axis. Here, in his arms, they were just Sasuke and Sakura.

With his hands still wrapped tightly around her, she felt him brush her hair aside, and shuddered when his hot breath fanned her neck. Her skin burned when his lips brushed her neck tenderly, once, twice, before one of his hands moved to run his fingers through her hair.

And in every brush of lips and in every minute touch, she could feel his apology.

Her lower lip started to tremble and tears welled up in the corner of her eyes as Sasuke wound one arm around her waist and the other at the back of her head, pulling her in closer.

God, she had missed him so much.

Sakura let out a strangled sob, trembling hands finally coming up to grip the back of his shirt in tight fists. He had promised her the world. He had promised her happiness and adventures and a life full of love. And just as easily, he had abandoned her. She had been lonely – she had spent nights crying herself to sleep and mornings wondering what she had done wrong. She had been confused and hurt and broken and scared. But he was here. Now, he was here, with her. After everything, he had come for her. He hadn't let her go. Her body shook with the force of her cries, finally giving way to the enormity of her grief. Sakura sobbed into his shirt, tears flowing unchecked and her breathing ragged. Her stifled sobs turned into gasping cries as she was overcome by the wave of her emotions, breaking down entirely, all her defences washed away in his strong arms. The pain that flowed from her was so palpable that Sasuke struggled to keep his own tears at bay as he held her, rocking back and forth and whispering words of comfort in her hair.

After what felt like an eternity, Sasuke gently drew back, ignoring her cry of protest before leaning his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes automatically, lower lip still trembling as inexplicable panic lanced through her. She didn't want him to leave. She needed him to stay, needed to make sure he wasn't going to abandon her again. Sasuke spent a moment studying her face, wondering if he could ever make it up to her in this lifetime.

"I'm not going anywhere," he murmured.

He had really hurt her, hadn't he? His forehead creased deeply. He had hurt her, and yet…here she was, so willing, so forgiving, and it broke his heart.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, breath shaking. "God Sakura, I'm so sorry."

Sakura surprised him when she leaned in hesitantly, voice wavering as her breath ghosted across his lips. "It's okay, Sasuke-kun." Her voice was raw and gravelly, but it didn't matter because the familiarity in the way his name tumbled from her lips took his breath away.

Trembling with gut-wrenching relief, he removed his hands from her waist and head to cup her face, thumbs brushing away the tears that were still rolling down her cheeks. He didn't deserve her. But when she opened her eyes, he felt his breath catch in his throat. He still remembered what they looked like when he thought he had lost her, jaded and dull. The sparkling brilliance in them now made his heart soar. Her smaller hands came up to hold his gently. Sasuke's lungs felt too tight when her eyes finally met his. Her bewitching orbs that were burned into his soul from the first time he laid eyes on her studied him with silent intensity, wary and tentative and hopeful. Sasuke held her gaze as he watched a plethora of emotion swim in her eyes. When her eyes shone with hope, Sasuke wondered if she found what she was looking for.

"I forgive you, Sasuke-kun."

He watched as her eyes moved from his eyes to his lips and back again, and he could feel her cheeks slowly heating up under his palms.

And then slowly, inexorably, he closed the tiny, finite space between them, and he groaned at the feel of her lips against his. His thumb continued to caress her cheeks as their breaths mingled. Sasuke felt her hands leave his to wrap around his neck, fingers tangling themselves in his hair. She kissed him back, and the world fell away. It was slow and soft and so full of love, so comforting in ways that words would never be. There were no fireworks, no sparks, but this kiss was much better than that, Sasuke thought – a wave of warmth filled him up, spilling out from his heart and the warmth of Sakura's lips on his and rushing to every corner of his body – a promise unfolding between them from all of their yesterdays into their tomorrows, a reminder that they were here, in this moment, so real and so ready for each other because they've finally found what the world spent their entire lives searching for.

And then their moment was over as quickly as it came when the doors were thrown open, Naruto and his cousins piling in one after another, all running towards them a little too eagerly.

"Sakura-chan! You're awake!"

"Sakura-chan! Obito and I were – "

"Oh my God, little cousin! You couldn't even wait for her to get cleaned up?"

"Obito's right, Sasuke. You need to control your libido."

"Come on guys, cut teme some slack. He hasn't had any in a while!"

Sasuke groaned.

And then Sakura, tear streaked and red-faced, burst into laughter, and he didn't think he had ever felt lighter.

…

"Sakura, listen to yourself!"

"I love him, daddy," she said quietly. "I love him so much it hurts."

"I don't care if you think you love him, because he most certainly doesn't love you," Kizashi sneered. Sakura watched as his expression iced over, his words cutting her deeply. "Why did you even come, Sakura? I know it's definitely not out of your respect for me."

She leaned as far over the boat as she could, one hand gripping the edge of the boat, the other reaching out for him tentatively.

"Daddy, please…"

He slapped her hand away. "Look at you," he continued, "You can't even swim. You are no daughter of mine."

Her throat constricted and her eyes burned as tears rolled down her cheeks. This wasn't the response she had hoped for.

"You don't mean that."

Kizashi scoffed. "You made your choice when you gave up your tail, Sakura. When you gave up your home."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in frustration. He could hear every word from where he was sitting at the other end of the boat, and the fact that Kizashi would disown Sakura caused a coiling, corrosive rage to fill him. He had made that mistake once, and he'd be damned if he didn't try to prevent Kizashi from making the same mistake.

"That's enough!" Sasuke snapped, earning a surprised gasp from Sakura and Kizashi's withering glare.

"Don't address me so casually, boy. I could kill you in a heartbeat," Kizashi growled.

Sasuke's lips thinned as he simmered in his anger for a few seconds. Kizashi's position as ruler of the sea didn't intimidate him. But he was Sakura's father. Exhaling deeply through his nose, he bowed stiffly. "Haruno-sama. With all due respect, Sakura doesn't deserve this. Especially not from you."

"And what is it that she deserves?" Kizashi sneered. He wasn't sure what angered him more. The fact that he had given Sakura a chance to return to the ocean and she had rejected it to be with this…scum, or the fact that this man who had hurt his daughter and put her through hell had the decency to tell him what she deserved. He scoffed.

"Sakura is a smart girl. She knows what she wants, and she deserves to be able to make those choices on her own. And we should support her choices and be there for her, whether we agree with them or not."

"And how did that turn out for her the first time? How did you, Uchiha Sasuke, treat her? You nearly killed her!" Kizashi roared, and the once still waves rocked with his anger. "You don't deserve my daughter."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I made a mistake. I betrayed her trust and I hurt her but I will never be able to take back what I've done," he argued. "But I love her. I love her more than I have ever loved anything or anyone, and if she will let me, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to her." His eyes softened as he looked at her. Sakura's tear-streaked face made his heart constrict painfully in his chest. "I love her, Haruno-sama. And I know you do, too."

Kizashi didn't say anything for a moment as he studied Sasuke. He knew that the boy was telling the truth; the ferocity in his eyes and the tenacity in his voice said it all. His gaze shifted to Sakura. Her slumped shoulders and defeated eyes broke his heart. But didn't she understand that she was all he had left? He'd lost her mother, and now she wanted him to lose her too. He wanted, no – needed – to protect her.

"Daddy…" Sakura's broken voice broke him out of his thoughts. "You haven't lost me. I'm still here."

"Sakura, I – "

"I'll always be your baby girl. No matter where I am or what I'm doing."

He allowed himself to swim right up to the boat, and he exhaled, relieved, when she allowed him to reach up and cup her cheek with his hand.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I'm sorry," he mumbled.

…

The strength and pride in his father's speech warmed him more than he expected. His mother's hand found his, and as she wove their fingers together, squeezing them tightly, his lips lifted slightly in a small smile. The events leading up to today had been hard for all of them – especially Sasuke, and when Fugaku had called them in for a family meeting last week, this was not what Itachi had expected.

Their father never made any decisions lightly, especially one that would impact not only their family but their entire country – and the thought that Fugaku had examined, contemplated and weighed every event, every detail, every consequence since Sakura's arrival touched Itachi. He could imagine his father and the many sleepless nights he was sure he had, scrutinising every possible outcome, every possible consequence to his actions. Itachi was aware that his father had high hopes for Sasuke ever since he decided to forgo the tradition of marrying into nobility to strengthen ties. Growing up, Itachi had always been the rebel. He had always followed his own dreams and set his own path, but Sasuke had always been so eager to please his father, had never been hesitant to do what was necessary to earn his father's praise.

Pride surged in Itachi as he thought about the man his younger brother had become. He would never tell Sasuke this, but he was so, so proud of him for finally making one decision that was purely for himself. He was also extremely proud of his father for showing them and their entire country what family and love was worth. There was surprisingly no delicate manoeuvring required to steer Fugaku in this direction.

"There will be no more killing between our two nations. Instead, we will embrace one another, uplift and support one another. Konoha is a country full of love – and it is now time for us to extend that love."

Itachi was unable to contain his grin as the crowd erupted in cheers and applause, all in support of his father's decision. He sighed contentedly, relieved. He had been worried when his father made the decision to be truthful to the public. "People will want answers," Fugaku had said, "And as Uchiha we must lead by example. There is no better time for the truth."

…

Her dark eyes found hers and she gurgled, pink face lighting up with delight. Tiny fingers curled tightly around her pinky, and Sakura smiled. The tiny bundle in her arms amazed her. She was so little, so vulnerable, and already she felt an immense love for her.

"She's beautiful," she whispered.

"Aa."

Sasuke wrapped one arm around her waist, peering down at the little bundle in her arms over her shoulders. Sakura lifted the baby up closer, rubbing her nose against hers.

"Uchiha Nozomi," she whispered, face flushed pink. The swaddled bundle is a warm, comforting weight in the crook her arm, and she was suddenly filled with giddy excitement. Itachi and Izumi had named her for the future. Hope for a future of trust and love and unity between Sakura's people and theirs.

A giggle from her left brought her back to reality.

"Don't get too attached, Sakura-chan. Itachi might get jealous."

Sakura's already pink face flushed an even darker red, embarrassed. "Sorry Izumi-nee. She's the most beautiful thing I've seen." Sasuke made a noise of protest, and she ignored him, walking to Izumi and depositing Nozomi in her arms. She felt the sudden absence of her warmth, and subconsciously brought a hand up to her flat belly.

That night, as Sakura lay tangled in a slumbering Sasuke's arms, she said a prayer to every single God she knew. Things had finally turned around. She had made up with her father, everyone in Konoha accepted her, and she had finally met Itachi and Izumi's little bundle of joy. She had finally found the kind of happiness she had always wanted – one that existed on her own terms. She had finally found the courage to pursue the adventures she craved, had finally found the kind of love that she couldn't live without. She had finally found acceptance. The kind that allowed her to forgive herself for all her shortcomings and all her mistakes, and embrace herself for all of her strengths. She'd finally found who she was, and where she belonged.

And maybe tomorrow, she'd tell Sasuke she wanted a family.

…

A/N: Hi guys, I'm so sorry for the late update! To be honest I was really stuck with this chapter, I've written this three times over, each time it's come out completely different than the last. Let me know what you think and please review! Much love, xx


	18. Chapter 18

Sasuke's heart pounded in his chest as Sakura sobbed. Her lower half was stained with blood, the sheets underneath her gradually blossoming red and Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat. Sweat soaked through her pink tresses and her face was flushed pink, eyes wide with fear and pain as she stared into his. Her clammy hands gripped his tightly, knuckles bleeding white from the force she used.

Another contraction hit her and she whimpered, tears rolling down her cheeks. Sasuke gently brushed her damp hair from her forehead with his free hand, trying to soothe her as much as he could. "Tsunade is on her way, Sakura. Just hold on."

She closed her eyes and moaned, and Sasuke looked worriedly at Hinata who was examining her at the end of the bed.

"Sasuke-san, the baby is crowning and her contractions are less than a minute apart. There's no time to wait for Tsunade-san. She needs to have the baby now."

Exhaling a shaky breath, Sasuke nodded.

"Sakura, did you hear that? Looks like she wants to come early. You're going to have to start pushing, okay?"

Sakura gasped. "I can't…I can't…" She just wanted the agony to go away. Everything around her melted away into the background, and she could only focus on the hot, searing pain between her legs and the contractions in her stomach that made her quiver.

"Yes, you can," Sasuke said, squeezing her now limp hand. "I'm right here with you."

She let out another scream as a contraction hit her and Sasuke leaned in close to her, placing a kiss on her temple. As gently as he possibly could, he climbed into the bed and manoeuvred the both of them until he was behind her, and he felt her muscles relax just the slightest as she leaned back against him, taking comfort in the familiar contours of his body.

"Sakura-san, I need you to take a deep breath for me. And when you feel the next contraction, you need to push," Hinata said, crouched down in front of her.

Sakura squeezed her eyes and did as she was told, screaming in pain as she pushed in time with her contractions. She gasped and panted, feeling as if she was being ripped apart from the inside. She felt Sasuke wrap his arms around her, whispering words of comfort in her ear.

"You can do this, Sakura. She's nearly out, just a little bit more."

She sniffed and gritted her teeth, steeling herself for another push. This time, pain ripped through her whole body, and she screamed, low and feral and Sasuke's whole body tensed.

Hinata's panicked eyes locked onto his as she removed her hands which were fully coated in blood, and Sasuke knew then that something was wrong. There was too much blood.

Sasuke cursed in his head, hands tightening around her.

"Sakura-san, the next push has to be the last, okay? I need you to really focus this time."

The panic in Hinata's voice reached through the haziness in Sakura's mind, and she sat up straighter, whimpering in pain.

"Is…is the baby…is she okay?"

"Yes. She's fine. But we need to be quick, okay? Can you do that for me?"

"I…yes…yes, anything," Sakura sobbed, face alarmingly pale.

A contraction hit her and her body shook with pain as she pushed, screaming in pain, and this time, she didn't even recognize the sound escaping her lips. Sasuke placed butterfly kisses on her temple, hands rubbing encouraging circles on her arms.

"One more, Sakura-san. I need you to push really hard one more time."

Sakura nodded her head limply. She took a rattling breath and pushed, screaming again as white, hot pain shot through her body.

And then there was a sense of emptiness, but it didn't matter, because she couldn't feel anything. Everything around her vanished, all other senses suddenly muted. Her entire body was numb, and she blinked wearily as her vision swam and the sound of her blood rushing through her veins pulsed wildly in her ears. She could barely hear the sounds of a startled cry or Sasuke's panicked voice.

"Sakura? Sakura! Fuck, Hinata! Do something!"

Sasuke's heart raced as he quickly climbed out of the bed to sit on the bed by Sakura's side, his hands grasping her limp ones tightly. He watched as Sakura stared at him blankly, eyes jaded, too far gone to comprehend the situation.

"Sasuke, the baby! Sakura might rouse when she sees her."

Sasuke didn't know when Izumi had arrived, but he wordlessly allowed her to pry his hands off Sakura's as she gently placed the still-wet, squirming bundle on Sakura's chest.

He stared at the tiny, wrinkled, pink face, and his hands moved on their own accord to gently caress the thick, dark hair on the back of her head, and he sucked in a breath. She was perfect. In his panic, he hadn't had time to think about her, but now that she was in front of him, he couldn't look away. They had created her. She was a culmination of their love, and she was perfect.

When she opened her eyes, wide and inquisitive and familiar, Sasuke felt a tear slide down his cheek. Fathomless black irises stared back at him.

Sakura must have felt this connection between them too, because she choked back a sob, one trembling hand coming up to pull their daughter closer to her.

"Sa…Sasuke-kun," she said, voice barely above a whisper. "She…she's perfect." And then she burst into tears, lower lip trembling in the way Sasuke found endearing. She was still pale, still breathing too labouredly for his liking, but her eyes were bright, suffused with joy and love.

Sasuke leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on her lips. "Thank you, Sakura." His heart trembled when she failed to respond, and he pulled back to see her eyelids begin to droop.

"Sakura?"

She wanted to answer him so desperately, but her tongue couldn't move. She was exhausted.

"Fuck, Hinata! Fucking do something!"

Sasuke's voice was shrill, and she can't remember Sasuke ever sounding so scared. Her vision began to swim once more, black spots clouding her vision and she struggled to keep herself awake. She could barely feel Hinata's hands probing between her legs – only the continuous flow of something wet.

"Sas…"

"I'm here, Sakura. I'm here," Sasuke said. He was crying. She could hear it in his voice.

"Her name…," she continued, pausing to take in a deep, rattling breath. The baby in her arms suddenly felt so heavy. "Sa…Sara…da."

Sasuke's almost painful grip on her hands grounded her a little bit more.

"Uchiha Sarada. She's beautiful," Sasuke sobbed.

Her world started to grow inexplicably darker.

"No…no more swearing, Sas…Sasuke," she breathed. "Sara…she'll pick it up…"

Sasuke could only nod numbly as he tightened his grip on her. "I promise," he ground out, tears blurring his vision.

"I love you, Sakura. Just stay with me. Sakura? Sakura!"

His heart stopped when Sakura's eyes rolled to the back of her head before her whole body went limp.

"Fuck!"

In all his years as Hinata's friend, Sasuke has never heard Hinata so much as raise her voice, so when the word escaped her lips his knees buckled. Sarada was suddenly deposited in his arms and he was shoved away from Sakura's side, Hinata and Izumi clamouring around her. He listened to his daughter's keening cries, watched as her pink face distorted in discomfort, but he felt numb. He glanced around his surroundings, taking everything in, but not really understanding. It took all of his remaining composure to pull her close to him, as he prayed to every God that existed not to let his wife die.

Please, please, please, please, please.

…

The door was suddenly thrown open and hurried footsteps approached, and Sasuke slowly unfolded his body, getting to his feet. He cradled a still screaming Sarada in one hand, and his fingers twitched. Sasuke could feel Sakura's dried blood caked on his hands. He lifted his head to look at the intruder, and for a second it almost felt like the weight of his tears were dragging him downwards. His whole body shook at the sight of her, and suddenly there was an overwhelming rage, gnawing and grasping and building until it replaced the pain.

Tsunade.

"Sakur – "

Before Sasuke even realised what had happened, he had Tsunade against the wall, his free hand gripped tightly around her throat. Between them, Sarada continued to scream.

"Don't," he growled. "Don't you fucking dare say her name." The still growing rage in him made it easier to ignore the way his voice cracked.

"I…" she began, but his tightening grip silenced her.

"You said she was okay!" He yelled, the rage and pain in his heart fuelling him. "You promised that she was okay!" All his agony and pain and anger were focused now, and in his mind's eye, he could still remember the relief he felt when Tsunade had looked Sakura over, healed her and performed every necessary test, and deemed her fit and healthy. And yet…

"You fucking liar," he snarled. "Sakura – "

His voice broke at her name and tears continued to stream down his cheeks. "She trusted you!"

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Tsunade rasped breathlessly.

"Sorry?" Sasuke sneered. "Sakura, my wife, is dead. And you're sorry?" The words dripped from his mouth like acid, his face twisted in disgust at her choice of words. He pressed himself closer to her, ignoring the way Sarada now squirmed uncomfortably in his arm.

"I will show you what it means to be sorry," he promised, eyes narrowed. Tsunade began to gasp violently as he slowly, agonizingly crushed her windpipe.

"Sasuke!"

Suddenly, slowly, as if waking from deep sleep, Sasuke became aware of other things. Hands on his shoulders roughly pulling him backwards and Sarada being ripped from his arms. And then he was pulled into someone's arms, whose, he didn't know, but he couldn't find the strength in him to care.

Sakura was gone.

The arms around him tightened, and the familiar smell of his brother's cologne filled his nostrils and the heat of his body acted as an anchor. And just as suddenly, all feelings of rage disappeared, but the pain lingered, burning like a raging inferno.

"Niisan…"

Sasuke finally broke down, strength draining from him as he sagged in his brother's arms. He clung to Itachi like he had done so many times in the past, burying his face in his neck and openly wept. They were going to have a family. After everything they'd been through, after everything – it hurt to breathe. Every inhale and every cry sent tendrils of sharp pain to his heart. Itachi's fingers brushed his hair gently, and it was so agonizingly familiar because Sakura used to do it, too. Sakura.

"Sasuke, it's going to be okay," Itachi promised, his own eyes brimming with tears.

"No…no, no no, no! She's gone, niisan. She's gone!" Sasuke screamed, voice muffled by the collar of Itachi's shirt. The emptiness in his heart and the overwhelming reality that Sakura was gone threatened to engulf him entirely. His legs buckled, and if Itachi wasn't holding onto him so tightly, Sasuke wondered if he would be lying on the ground in a boneless heap.

"You still have Sarada."

…

Sasuke watched as Sarada entertained herself in the shallow waters. Her dark, black hair billowed in the cool spring breeze, her face upturned towards the sun, dark eyes squinting to see through the bright rays.

She turned to face him and smiled, and Sasuke felt his breath catch in his throat. It was happening a lot recently. The more Sarada grew, the more she resembled Sakura. Everybody told him how much she looked like him, dark hair and equally dark eyes, but to the people who really knew Sakura, Sarada was the splitting image of her mother.

He saw Sakura in Sarada's smile, the way her lips lifted upwards and lit up her whole face. The way her single dimple crinkled made his heart skip a beat. He saw her in Sarada's eyes, dark and intense. They were eyes that spoke volumes even in silence, wistful and lucid like the dreamer she was. And he heard Sakura in Sarada's laughter.

Sometimes, looking at Sarada made his world stop. Looking at his daughter brought back a million memories in a split second, and Sasuke was thankful that he had her. Sarada was only six, but in her every action, her every word, her every smile and her every cry, Sasuke saw so much of Sakura. She was her legacy. And he could only hope that he could raise Sarada to be a woman Sakura would be proud of.

"Papa! Papa!" Sarada's excited squeal caused the corner of his lips to lift into a smile. "Papa come!"

She beckoned at him with her small, chubby hands, and he chuckled at her antics as he waded through the shallow waters, glass bottle clutched tightly in his hand. When he reached her, Sarada reached out to him, and he gently placed the bottle in her hands.

She looked at it, deep in thought, then turned her dark inquisitive eyes to him. "Now, papa?"

Last night, Sarada had come to him with the idea of writing Sakura a letter.

"That way, Mama will know we're thinking of her! Uncle Itachi told me she'd know!"

"But where would we send it?" he had asked, slightly amused and slightly irritated that his brother had planted an impossible notion in her mind.

"The sea, of course! Didn't you say Mama lives there now?" she had said, hands on hips as she looked at him as if he had grown two heads.

"Aa," he said. "Yes she does."

His heart clenched painfully in his chest as his daughter cradled the bottle delicately in her hands. They had stayed up together, sprawled on his bed as they wrote their letters to Sakura. He had helped Sarada roll them up and stick them in the bottle.

"Now looks like a good time, Sarada." He crouched down until he was at her height, and draped an arm around her, pulling her close. Sarada quickly kissed the bottle, holding it up for Sasuke to do the same. After he pressed his lips to it, Sarada laughed, and he watched as she let the bottle go. They turned to the vast horizon of glittering blue, watching as the waves took the bottle out to sea.

Sarada cupped her hands over her mouth and screamed. "Papa and I miss you, Mama!"

His eyes burned with the familiarity of tears welling behind them. Arms coming up to mimic Sarada's, he yelled. "And we love you, Sakura!"

…

A/N: There you go guys, the last chapter to Lost At Sea. I know this might not be the ending most of you had envisioned for this, and my heart breaks for Sakura. But there will be a one-shot sequel to this fic that I will upload within the week, and I hope you will stay tuned for it. But I really want to say thank you for sticking with me since the beginning and for all of your reviews, they've really inspired me and helped keep me going, so much that I have started another multi-fic, Long Live, and I hope you guys will check it out!

In the mean time, please review and please keep your eyes out for the sequel to this. Much love, xoxo


	19. Author's Note

Hi guys, this is just a quick update to let you all know the sequel has been published. It's called Meet Me Where The Sky Touches The Sea.

I also want to acknowledge that I know lots of you are disappointed with the way the fic ended, and believe me it hurt my heart to end it the way I did. But I wanted to also be realistic, because if there's anything I've learnt in my personal life while I was writing the story is that sometimes, bad things happen to people who don't deserve it. Maybe in another universe, things end differently.

But thank you so much for supporting me throughout this fic, and I hope the sequel gives you some sort of closure.

Much love,

xoxo


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